


I Took The One Less Traveled By

by valmontheights



Series: Mirrorverse [1]
Category: World Wrestling Entertainment
Genre: Alternate Universe, Angst, Established Relationship, Fluff, M/M, Mpreg, Not Kayfabe Compliant, Romance
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-05-19
Updated: 2019-02-04
Packaged: 2019-05-09 02:53:00
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 6
Words: 45,333
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14707751
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/valmontheights/pseuds/valmontheights
Summary: I shall be telling this with a sighSomewhere ages and ages hence:Two roads diverged in a wood, and I—I took the one less traveled by,And that has made all the difference.- "The Road Not Taken", Robert Frost





	1. Prologue

**Author's Note:**

> Conceived as an alternate-universe "mirror" to my Triple H/Roman Reigns story, "Keep Me In Close Orbit", this story began life as nothing more than self-indulgent exchanges in Google Hangouts with my dearest P, where we sought to console ourselves from the increasingly frustrating trajectory of the WWE and their handling of Roman Reigns by devising increasingly fantastical AUs for our happy couple.
> 
> More details and tags will be added once I get the story rolling properly.

  

> _WWE.COM Press Release_
> 
> _January 24th 2018_
> 
>  
> 
> _WWE.com has learned that WWE Superstar Roman Reigns will not be participating in this Sunday's Royal Rumble, due to a medical condition that necessitates his immediate removal from the active roster._
> 
> _After losing his Intercontinental Title to the The Miz on the RAW 25th Anniversary Show, The Big Dog was expected to declare his intention to enter into the 30-Man Royal Rumble Tournament set to take place in Philadelphia this Sunday, opening up the possibility of challenging for either the WWE Championship or the Universal Championship at Wrestlemania 34 in New Orleans._
> 
> _However, he is now confirmed to be sitting out the Royal Rumble and furthermore is unlikely to compete at Wrestlemania 34._
> 
> _We do not have any information yet on how long he will be sidelined, nor do we have further details regarding his condition._

 

 

\---

 

 

"Is it done?"

 

"It's done."

 

With a long, slow exhale, Roman feels the tension leaving his body, an unraveling of the multitude of knots that has been coiling inside him for the last 48 hours. Outside his hotel room window, the world seems to carry on unhindered -- a bleak gray sky on a cold winter's day, the wind carrying the noises of traffic and the streets below.

 

"How are you feeling?"

 

He sighs, gathering the covers a little tighter around his shoulders. "I'm not sure..." he says. "I mean, I'm fine, I don't feel like anything's weird or all that different physically, but I don't know if that's real or if it's just my mind still not believing it..."

 

"Yeah, I know what you mean..."

 

The bed dips slightly behind him as Hunter climbs onto it with him, the warmth of his chest soon pressed against Roman's back.

 

An arm comes around Roman's middle, just as it has a million times before, though seemingly more tentative now, a large palm coming to rest against his stomach.

 

"What do we do now?" Roman asks.

 

It's a simple enough question on its own, but the length of time it takes for him to get an answer is enough to let Roman know that even the normally self-assured and ever-confident Hunter is still processing the situation they've found themselves in.

 

Considering everything that's unfolded around them, Roman finds it oddly comforting to think that he's not the only who's feeling rather overwhelmed.

 

"I need to make some more arrangements," Hunter says. "At least to see us through the rest of the week."

 

"There's gonna be a lot of questions," Roman sighs. "I bet they've started ringing Head Office even now, contacting their insiders, trying to get some kind of scoop..."

 

"Well, that's what non-disclosure agreements are for," Hunter tries to assure him. "Those who know have been briefed on the official company line, and those who don't... well, they can't be dispensing information they don't have."

 

"I wonder what the rumor mill is gonna come up with for this one..."

 

"Shhh..." Hunter tightens his arm around Roman a little. "That's not for you to worry about."

 

Roman closes his eyes, his thumb rubbing idle circles across Hunter's knuckles. "How... how are we going to do this?"

 

"One day at a time," Hunter says. "That's the only way I can think of."

 

Roman can't think of a better way either -- whenever he's tried to project too far ahead he felt like his head was spinning itself loose, a million questions without answers and uncertainty everywhere he looked.

 

"You can still go to Philly with me," Hunter tells him. "You'll have to lay low, though--probably too risky to have you at the venue."

 

"It's okay..." Roman pats his hand. "I'd rather be there with you than anywhere else."

 

He feels the feathery touch of a kiss at the back of his neck. "After that... after that we can go home."

 

 _Home_.

 

He thinks of the apartment in Orlando with its tall windows and sparse furnishings, of the large bed they've shared whenever they could for the last year and a half, of the large closet with their clothes hanging in an uncoordinated mix, the view of the beach just beyond the palm avenues through the glass panes behind Hunter's desk.

 

"Home..." he repeats in a soft whisper.

 

"Yeah, home..." Hunter says. "And then... we'll just take it from there."

 

Roman opens his eyes and cranes his head back to get a good look at Hunter. There's rims of fatigue around his eyes, he's barely slept over the last two days and Roman hasn't fared much better, but his smile is there and so is the gleam of affection in his eyes.

 

"Are you..." he clears his throat. "...are you scared, at all?"

 

"Terrified," Hunter says. "Beyond words."

 

Roman offers his own smile in response. "Me too,"

 

"Great," Hunter says, voice cracking ever so slightly. "Then we can be scared together."

 

"Yes," Roman nods. "Together."

 

_Together._


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay, as some of you correctly guessed from the prologue, this is a Hunter/Roman Mpreg AU. If any of that doesn't sit well with you, then by all means proceed no further than this point. I know Mpreg is not everybody's cup of tea. The regular Hunter/Roman story in "Orbitverse" will still proceed parallel to this one. To avoid any confusion, let me outline a few things here for the outset:
> 
> • This story shares the exact same background plot as "Keep Me In Close Orbit" up until December 2017 within that story's timeline. After that, it veers off into its own weird and wonderful timeline.  
> • What that means is that the story of how Hunter and Roman got together, and how their relationship has proceeded up to December 2017 is the same as in "Orbitverse".  
> • The Mpreg mechanics I have here is NOT the A/B/O one, not because I don't enjoy A/B/O stories but I wanted to have something different. Of course it's all creative license and any medical detail I provide here is utter BS, but you will read as the story proceeds how Mpreg works in this universe.  
> • For the purpose of this story, Hunter and Stephanie divorced amicably in 2010. Why that matters will not be readily apparent in the early chapters, but it will somewhere down the line.  
> • My dearest enabler P, as always, was instrumental in the back and forth chats we kept having as we built up this little AU escapist spinoff into a fully-fledged 'verse, and I cannot thank her enough for that.  
> • My work situation means I cannot guarantee the frequency of updates for either this or "Orbitverse", but rest assured that this is a labor of love that gives me so much satisfaction and I can't imagine ever abandoning.

 

 

 

> car·ri·er
> 
> /ˈkerēər/
> 
>  
> 
> _noun_
> 
> noun:  **carrier** ; plural noun:  **carriers**
> 
>  
> 
>   1. a person or thing that carries, holds, or conveys something.
> 

>   1. a person or company that undertakes the professional conveyance of goods or people.
>   2. a person or animal that transmits a disease-causing organism to others. Typically, the carrier suffers no symptoms of the disease.
>   3. _informal_ \- term ascribed to human males able to carry children.
> 


 

 

                                     

                                     

\---

 

 

Barclays Center, New York

January 22nd 2018

 

 

"You're right, this isn't normal..." Roman says as he wipes his mouth for the umpteenth time, bunching up the paper towels and tossing them into the rapidly-filling wastebasket in the corner.

 

"Dude, come on...let's just get you to Medical already," Seth says. "It's probably nothing, but better be safe, you know?"

 

Roman exhales deeply, examining his reflection in the bathroom mirror. His eyes are slightly bloodshot from all the retching, the skin under his eyes bagging a little. It's nowhere near as bad as he looked in November when he had the misfortune of being one of the few caught up in the Great Viral Oubreak of 2017, but it's still worrying.

 

"When did it start?" Seth asks from where he's leaning against the bathroom counter.

 

"Eh, its been off an on for days..." Roman shakes his head. "Thought it was just the weather, or something I ate..."

 

"Doesn't look like food poisoning to me," Seth says. "I've had those, and trust me you'd be hurling from both ends if that's the case."

 

Roman snorts. "Thanks for the lovely mental image, Seth..."

 

"Come on, Medical's just down the corridor..." Seth tugs at Roman's shoulder. "At least they can get some fluids back in you..."

 

Roman nods weakly and pushes off the sink, following Seth out of the door. The air of the backstage corridors feels uncomfortably close to his skin, mildly suffocating, and his stomach seizes up again almost immediately, prompting him to clamp a hand over his mouth.

 

They're well into the third hour or so of RAW's 25th Anniversary show, with runners in headsets scurrying about frantically trying to keep everything running along to the schedule, and the cacophony of sounds and smells as they navigate the crowded corridors makes Roman's head spin.

 

_Please, don't let it be another damn viral infection._

The nausea has been coming and going infrequently over the last few days, though it's usually gone by mid-day and Roman hadn't considered it serious enough to go in for a checkup. He felt good this morning when he had to get up early for the NYSE appearance, before joining up with some of the other stars for a Make-A-Wish event.

 

A busy day, sure, but nothing Roman hasn't experienced before, and certainly not one that would normally cause him to reel just from inhaling the all-too-familiar backstage atmosphere.

 

It's the odd bit of stale sweat lingering in the air, the styrofoam boxes stacked high in catering, the chemical tang coming from the makeup tables and the blinking lights from monitors, all assaulting his senses at once, and he has to lean against the wall for support halfway to their destination.

 

"Seth..." he calls out. "Wait up."

 

Seth turns around, looking alarmed as he reaches out to stop Roman from keeling over completely. "Shit, man...you look worse than you did one minute ago."

 

"Just...just get me there, okay?" Roman says.

 

Seth helpfully throws one of Roman's arms around his shoulders and starts to drag him down the corridor, Roman's eyes shut tight as he tries hard not to hurl again.

 

When they reach Medical, the sports medicine staff takes over and makes Roman sit on the exam table while the one of them goes to fetch the doctor on duty, while Seth leans against the wall and waits.

 

"Maybe you shouldn't stay..." Roman says as one of the trainers prepare to take his blood pressure. "In case it's contagious, you know...like what I had last time..."

 

Seth shakes his head. "I need to head over to Manhattan Center for the closing segment...I might as well know what's up with you so I can tell him when I get there."

 

Roman nods and smiles thinly. "Thanks..."

 

When Dr. Lewis arrives, he looks concerned--probably worried he might have another outbreak on his hands. He ushers Roman into the more private examination room -- away from the guys who are just getting bruises iced and minor niggles looked over, Seth following in tow. The doctor then goes through the routine procedure, checking Roman's heartbeat, his temperature, asking him questions, which Roman answers to the best of his ability.

 

It's mostly nausea and violent headache.

 

He's also feeling oddly sensitive to sounds and smells.

 

No, it doesn't feel like last time he got sick.

 

No, he hasn't eaten anything out of the ordinary.

 

"Did you take a nasty bump during your match?" Dr. Lewis asks as he shines a light into each of Roman's eyes.

 

"Nah, it all went off without a hitch..." Roman says truthfully. The Miz isn't a sloppy worker, he and Roman have developed quite a good in-ring chemistry through their series of matches against each other, and aside from it ending with Roman losing his Intercontinental title, he can't find much to object about.

 

"And how soon did you start throwing up after the match ended?"

 

Roman shrugs. "Took a shower, got changed...and I started feeling all clammy. Cold sweats and all that."

 

"And now?"

 

"It was bad while we were walking here, in the corridor..." Roman says. "Now it's fine."

 

"I found him in the bathroom retching his guts out," Seth supplies. "Can't imagine there's much left to puke out."

 

"You taking up commentary now?" Roman throws him a sideways glance, to which Seth merely grins.

 

Dr. Lewis jots some things down in a notepad, and seems to consult his old notes from a thick folder, before rummaging in the medical supplies and producing a white paper cup.

 

Roman sees it and frowns. "Oh, come on now..."

 

"Roman..."

 

"Doc, I haven't been touching anything dodgy, I swear! I've learned my lessons already, okay?"

 

"Yeah, is this really necessary?" Seth pipes in.

 

"Roman, I just need to be sure about something, okay?" Dr. Lewis holds the cup in front of him. "I'm not accusing you of anything, I'm not assuming anything. I just need to check something. So please, kindly fill this up for me."

 

Roman looks over at Seth, who merely shrugs at him. "Just get it over with, Ro...at least it'll tell us what's definitely _not_ wrong with you."

 

Roman can't really argue with that logic, so he grabs the paper cup off the doctor's hand and walks over to a corner of the room.

 

"I could pull out the screens for you if you need privacy," Dr. Lewis offers.

 

Roman shakes his head. "Not my first time peeing for an audience..."

 

The doctor chuckles. "Well, don't feel the need to over-achieve..."

 

"Make me proud, Ro..." Seth calls out after him mock-sweetly.

 

Roman throws a middle finger over his shoulder while his other hand starts to work on the zipper of his jeans.

 

 

\---

 

 

Officially, RAW 25 goes off the air at the Manhattan Center with DX and the Balor Club sharing the ring, having laid waste to The Revival.

 

Unofficially, it ends with The Miz making an unannounced appearance and getting the crowd riled up with his heel act before Seth Rollins puts an end to it with the newly unbanned Curb Stomp. Hunter knows it's probably not enough to send the crowd at the second venue home happy, but he'll consider it a small victory if they don't end up rioting.

 

The anniversary show was always going to be a bit of a clusterfuck, Hunter knew it as soon as he saw the rundown that Vince had signed off on. There was by far too much nostalgic posturing and too little actual wrestling content to make it worth the admission price at either venue, but especially at the Manhattan Center. By then, though, it was too late for him to change anything about it, having been away cultivating his other projects and wrestling the odd match or two.

 

Still, he keeps his game face on and rounds up his old DX buddies for a photo op for the benefit of the crowd, crotch-chopping like it was the heyday of the Attitude Era--before disappearing back behind the thick black curtains into the backstage area.

 

He barely has time to grab a bottle of water from a cooler before Seth yanks his arm forcefully and whispers right in his ear, "You need to get back to Barclays, now."

 

"Huh?"

 

Seth's face has lost all of the cockiness he puts on for the benefit of the cameras, instead looking tense and wide-eyed to the point of near panic.

 

"What is it, Seth?"

 

Seth looks around, as if checking that nobody's within earshot, before leaning a little closer. "It's Roman."

 

Instantly, Hunter feels a cold rush down his spine. "What's wrong? Is he hurt?"

 

Seth looks like he's about to say something, but the words die on his lips. "Just...just get there, please..." he tugs on Hunter's sleeve, looking more like a desperate child. "I can't... I don't even know if I should be the one telling you."

 

"Seth, for fuck's sake..." Hunter hisses, struggling to keep his volume down. "Just tell me what the hell's happened to him."

 

Seth looks around again, before yanking Hunter a bit further down the corridor, behind some equipment crates that afford them some form of privacy.

 

"I...I don't really know how to tell you..."

 

"Just say it," Hunter says, increasingly exasperated and alarmed.

 

Seth takes a deep breath, and tells him.

 

 

\---

 

 

"Are... are you sure this isn't a mistake?" Roman asks, for what feels like the hundredth time within the last half hour or so.

 

Dr. Lewis, to his credit, just sighs and lays a hand on Roman's shoulder. "Like I said, if you want to be absolutely sure it's best to get you to a hospital and do some blood testing...but I'm quite certain, Roman...the symptoms all line up."

 

Roman just stares up at the ceiling tiles in the medical room, trying to keep himself from shaking again.

 

"You...had a hunch?"

 

"At first I thought you might have picked up another virus, which if you did, I'd have to act upon anyway," the doctor runs a hand through his own hair, looking like he's barely comprehending this any better than Roman is. "But once you started describing the morning sickness--"

 

"Jesus, is that what they are?" Roman buries his own face in his hands.

 

He hears Dr. Lewis pull up a chair to sit in front of him. "I know it's a lot to take in..."

 

"Tell me about it," Roman mutters. "I...God, _fuck_....what the hell am I gonna do?"

 

"I can't answer that for you..." the doc says. "But I can recommend avenues of further care and things you can do to keep yourself healthy...if indeed you wish to proceed with it."

 

Roman shakes his head, struggling to keep it together in the onslaught of information coming his way. Suddenly, all the pieces do start making a dreadful kind of sense. The nausea, the sensitivity, even the odd way he seems to tire out a lot quicker than he usually does.

 

He's still holding it in his hands, turning it over and over as if what it's showing him might change under the lights if he were to hold it differently, like some child's picture book with hidden images within it. But no, it's almost comically simple--a stick with two red lines, not even faint red lines at that, solid and taunting.

 

"Roman, look...there _is_ a policy regarding this within the company," Dr. Lewis speaks again. "But what steps we take is entirely dependent on what you wish to do going forward."

 

"I don't know, okay?" Roman blurts out. "I don't even know--like, what do I do after this, how do I even--and it's so close to the Rumble, so close to Wrestlemania..."

 

"The timing is unfortunate," Dr. Lewis concurs. "But it is what it is, Roman...and if you want my professional medical opinion, you should definitely sit out the Rumble to at least take this all in, decide what you're going to do next."

 

Roman sighs and leans back in his chair, cupping his hands over his nose. His feet are still tapping a nervous rhythm on the floor, a step down from just shaking all over, which was what he did for a good five minutes after the the doctor had first broken the news to him.

 

"Were you....aware that this was a possibility?" Dr. Lewis asks gently.

 

"No..." Roman shakes his head. "Well...it happened once in my family that I know of, but that was a long time ago...like, my great grandfather's generation, and we've only heard about it in stories...it's not something that just comes up in conversation."

 

"True," the doctor nods. "Look, this isn't my field of expertise, and there are specialists out there who can probably give you far better information than what I have, but I know that it's believed to be genetic...so that one occurrence in your family might explain it."

 

Roman chuckles bitterly. "Countless generations of my family have been in this business, in this company, doc...guess it's just my luck that I'm the one it happens to, huh?"

 

"We don't know that," the doctor shakes his head. "Like I said, this isn't my area of expertise, but there could have been carriers in your family that have never been diagnosed--"

 

"--because they haven't had the supreme benefit of getting knocked up," Roman finishes him off.

 

Dr. Lewis stands up and fetches a bottle of mineral water from his desk, handing it over. "Here...the least I can do is keep you well-hydrated. Take your time, I'll stay here with you and answer any questions you have to the best of my ability, but I still recommend you go see a specialist at your earliest convenience..."

 

"At the inconvenience of everyone else," Roman sighs. " _Fuck_ , management is gonna kill me..."

 

"I sincerely doubt that," the doctor says sympathetically. "Although, I hope you at least have someone who can help you through this? Maybe...the father?"

 

Roman's fingers tremble as he uncaps the bottle and takes a nervous swig of water, the liquid washing down his parched throat. "I..."

 

"You don't have to tell me who it is," Dr. Lewis says quickly. "You're under no obligation to disclose that information to me or to anyone else in the company, however I _am_ obliged to let management know of your condition...for your own sake."

 

Roman doesn't even know what to say, or think. He feels pinned to his seat by the weight of all that's just been revealed to him, his mind splintering into endless possibilities of what he might do next -- none of them particularly pleasant.

 

"I need to find--"

 

His words are abruptly interrupted when the door swings open, and Hunter comes rushing in, scanning the room until his eyes find Roman, and Roman feels a surge of relief and trepidation flood into him.

 

"Hunter..."

 

"Is it true?" Hunter looks from Roman to Dr. Lewis. "Doc...is it true?"

 

Dr. Lewis seems hesitant. "I...I'm not sure if I'm at liberty to discuss this with you, Roman hasnt'--"

 

"Tell him," Roman says firmly. "He has to know... he _needs_ to know."

 

A tense quiet descends over the room, Dr. Lewis looking between the two of them, a realization dawning over his face. "Oh."

 

Roman winces at that -- already his head is filled with countless more scenarios just like this, of having to let other people know about something he's desperately wished to keep to himself, Hunter, and a select group of very close friends. The thought of having to explain it to the rest of the roster, the board of directors, _fuck_ , to Vince himself, makes his stomach fold over on itself.

 

"I'm gonna be sick..." he mutters, reaching out with one clammy hand to grab Hunter's wrist.

 

He doesn't know who manages to shove a wastebasket on the floor in front of him just before he starts hurling all over again, but he feels Hunter crouching next to him, running fingers through his hair. It's a gesture meant to comfort, but Roman can't quite register it, like it's barely scratching at the surface of the layer of dread that's enveloped him.

 

"Hey, hey...." Hunter's voice says close to his ear. "Take it easy, okay? I'm here, I'm right here."

 

Roman nods, even as his stomach heaves and he vomits some more. God, what if he's already fucked this up, damaged the life inside him before he even knew it was there? The past few months of endless wrestling, touring, all those physical impacts he'd taken on his body...

 

"Start talking, Doc..." Hunter says, even as he stays crouched next to Roman.

 

"He came in with severe nausea, says it's been coming and going for weeks, but mostly in the mornings..." Dr. Lewis explains. "I checked everything--blood pressure, temperature, asked him if there's been any change in diet, or any other intake..."

 

"I didn't know..." Roman whispers. "Hunter, I didn't know--"

 

"Sshhhh..." Hunter soothes him, massaging the back of his neck. "It's okay, you couldn't have known...heck, I probably should have noticed sooner..."

 

"I...had him give me a urine sample just so we could check things off the list that _wasn't_ what it was..." the doctor continues. "But it came out positive."

 

Hunter sighs heavily. "Same like last time?"

 

"Yes."

 

_Wait, what?_

Roman looks up, ignoring the dizziness assaulting him to focus on Hunter's face. "I...wait, this has happened before?"

 

Hunter lays one hand on Roman's knee. "I can't tell you who it is, for legal reasons, but yeah...it's happened before."

 

"That's why we have a policy in place for dealing with it," Dr. Lewis says.

 

 _Like it's some kind of problem_ , Roman's mind says bitterly.

 

Hunter gets to his feet, fixing Dr. Lewis with a grim stare. "We need to contain this..."

 

"Contain?" Roman nearly screams. "I don't have the fucking zombie plague, for God's sake...I'm fucking pregnant!"

 

_Pregnant._

Saying it out loud, for the first time, feels like throwing a rock in the air and having it come back down on him like a ton of bricks. Roman slumps into his chair, feeling exhausted and wrung out, embarrassingly close to crying.

 

"Hey...hey," Hunter is beside him again in an instant, this time cupping his face with both hands, gently yet firmly. "Look at me..."

 

Roman does, eyesight going fuzzy at the corners with prickling heat, trying his hardest to focus on the lines of Hunter's face, on his clear brown eyes, on the familiar brush of calloused fingers against his face.

 

"This is a lot for both of us to take in, I know...and I can't imagine how it feels for you," Hunter says, his voice barely above a whisper. "But I need to take care of some things...to keep you safe, okay? To keep _us_ safe,"

 

_Us._

Something clenches in Roman's chest at that, and possibly below it, at this newly nuanced utterance of _us._

 

No longer two, but three.

_Us._

"Okay..." he whispers.

 

"I'm gonna get Seth back in here, and he's gonna take you back to the hotel. Don't talk to anybody else, don't mention it to anybody, just sit tight and wait for me..." Hunter says. "I promise I'll get to you as soon as I'm done."

 

"Okay," Roman nods weakly.

 

Hunter brushes his lips on Roman's forehead lightly, before standing up and fishing his phone out of his phone, speed-dialing someone.

 

"Nicola? You still in the building?" he says.

 

Nicola is one of Hunter's longest-serving personal assistants--someone who probably did more than Roman was aware of in helping them go about their relationship. She's booked hotel rooms, rental cars, aligned their traveling schedules so there would be some overlap, and God knows what else.

 

"Okay, I need you to get your laptop out and pull up that draft NDA we made last year," Hunter says. "Find the business center in the building and print out, I don't know, let's say ten copies to start with."

 

Roman winces involuntarily -- he kows the inevitability of what's coming, the ever-expanding circle of people that will have to be informed, one way or the other, but it still sends an uneasy chill down his spine.

 

"After you do that, meet me just outside gorilla. I'll explain when I get there. Thanks--bye." Hunter stuffs his phone back in his pocket and turns to Dr. Lewis. "You're coming wth me, Doc...they're gonna want to hear a professional medical opinion,"

 

Dr. Lewis nods and gathers his notes together, as Hunter looks to Roman again, stroking his hair. "It's gonna be okay... I promise."

 

Roman nods, though he feels as if they're both just going through the motions, making the appropriate exchanges that the scenario seems to demand. He doesn't know if he truly believes it, if Hunter believes it himself. There's a wide-eyed look of mild panic in the older man's eyes that Roman's never seen before, held together in his polished shell of professional conduct.

 

As soon as Seth arrives, Hunter whispers some instructions in his ear and walks out the door with the doctor in tow, and Roman immediately feels a pang of loss--he doesn't want to go where Hunter's going, to have the conversations he's undoubtedly going to have, but he felt better when Hunter was in the room, like he could almost believe that all will be well, and now he's back in a swirling mess of uncertainty inside his head, even as Seth grasps his shoulders.

 

"Let's get back to the hotel, Ro..." he says gently. "I've already collected your stuff from the locker room. It's all packed up in the car,"

 

Roman nods and mutters a quiet "thanks..." before standing up on his shaky knees, following Seth out the door.

 

 

\----

 

 

"Well..." Stephanie crosses her arms and sags heavily against the wall. "This...changes things."

 

"This changes _everything_ ," Shane says from where he's sitting in one of the chairs in the small meeting room they've commandeered. "All those plans we've laid out for him..."

 

"Not happening," Hunter grunts tersely from his seat, fingers drumming on the surface of the table. "We can't risk it."

 

"Yeah, no thanks to you..." Shane mumbles.

 

Hunter looks up at his former brother-in-law. "What the hell does _that_ mean, Shane?"

 

"You know exactly what I mean by that," Shane says, standing up from his chair. "I thought you were beyond this, Hunter...wrecking other people's careers just because you can't keep your ego in check--or your dick, for that matter."

 

"Shane--" Stephanie says warningly.

 

"What did he ever do to you, huh? It's not like taking him out of the picture is going to give you another title run..." Shane says, his tone rising. "Or did you figure it'll give more time and opportunity to your NXT darlings, the ones you really wanted to push?"

 

"Shane, stop it!" Steph pushes off the wall and bodily places herself between her brother and Hunter, as if anticipating a fight. "You don't know what you're talking about..."

 

Hunter's knuckles are white from gripping the armrests of the chair, the white-hot anger flaring in his chest threatening to burst out of him, restrained only by the thought of Roman, waiting for him back at the hotel, how busting Shane's lip or giving him a black eye will give him a moment's satisfaction but probably years of misery down the line.

 

"I'm gonna let that one slide because I know where you're coming from..." he mutters, his voice low and shaking. "I get why you might think that way, Shane... but your sister's right, you don't know what you're talking about."

 

Shane turns to look at his sister. "You're still taking his side, even after all these years..."

 

"It's not about whose side I'm taking," Stephanie says. "You don't understand the whole story, Shane..."

 

"He doesn't need to," Hunter says quickly. "I'm not gonna go around explaining myself to everybody as if it's something I have to apologize for, Steph...not this. Not Roman."

 

"Let's see you try to keep that tone with Dad," Shane says. "He's going to be pissed, Hunter...more so with you than with Roman, I imagine."

 

"I can live with that," Hunter says. "I'll go talk to him about this -- Roman doesn't need to. The last thing he needs right now is to be shoved in front of an audience and asked to explain a situation he barely understands."

 

"You're gonna have to do it at the hotel," Stephanie says. "Or wait until tomorrow morning."

 

"No, let's make it tonight..." Hunter rubs his eyes wearily. "Tomorrow first thing I want to take Roman to the nearest hospital that has a specialist--Dr. Lewis's helping to arrange an appointment with someone he knows in town. I need to be there when that happens."

 

Something in Shane's expression shifts, a questioning look as he looks between Hunter and his sister. "You seem pretty sure that Roman wants you to be involved in all this..."

 

"Shane, your assessment of me as a selfish dickbag is probably accurate at least five days a week," Hunter stands from his seat. "But do you really think that low of Roman? That he'd have a lapse of judgment and fall into bed with me on some kind of ill-advised one night stand and get himself knocked up as a result?"

 

"No, but you've been known to...cause lapses of judgment in people before," Shane says tensely, causing Stephanie to let out an exasperated exhale.

 

"Why is it that you guys either have to punch each other's lights out or talk circles around things?" she says. "Hunter and Roman are together, Shane. As in, _together_. They've been that way for years."

 

Shane's reaction is predictably confused, like it's the last thing he expects to hear. Hunter can't blame him, really. "What?"

 

"You heard her..." Hunter says. "Almost four years now."

 

"Jesus," Shane shakes his head. "That's..."

 

"Hard to believe, I know." Hunter finishes for him. "What do you want me to say, Shane? It is what it is."

 

Shane turns to Stephanie next. "You knew about this,"

 

"The same way I've always known about everything else," Stephanie says firmly. "Hunter and I have an understanding, Shane -- if we didn't, the whole divorce would've gone down a lot uglier."

 

Shane's shoulders finally lose the coiled up tension in them, stepping back a little. He glances Hunter's way again, this time with a look on his face like he's reassessing everything he's ever known about his former brother-in-law.

 

"You sure know how to pick 'em," he says. "Had to go for Dad's pet project, the one he was banking all his hopes on..."

 

 _Fat lot of good that did for Roman,_ Hunter thinks to himself.

 

"It's not like we knew he was a potential carrier, Shane...nobody did, least of all him," he says. "To my knowledge--and from what Dr. Lewis tells me--there isn't a procedure in existence that could've screened for that."

 

"Is that what you plan on telling Dad?"

 

"I'll tell him whatever I need to tell him if it keeps Roman out of trouble," Hunter says. "I want to keep this contained. The fewer people that know about it, the better."

 

"That's gonna be tough," Stephanie says. "NDAs are one thing, but you've got people out on the periphery, ready to report on the slightest thing and turn it into a news article or some kind of discussion topic--this won't go unnoticed, Hunter."

 

"I didn't say anything about going unnoticed," Hunter says. "Of course people will notice his absence. I'm saying, the less we actually say about it officially, the better."

 

Stephanie sighs, tucking a stray lock of hair behind his ear. "Have you...discussed this with him?"

 

"No," Hunter says. "I will as soon as I get back to him. I just wanted the two of you and Vince to hear it from me first--not Dr. Lewis's report. And for us to start figuring out how we're going to manage this."

 

"The written policy states that each case will be managed according to the person's wishes," Stephanie says. "That means _him_ , Hunter. Not you. Unless...well, let's not discuss that for now. I think we've got enough on our plate already."

 

"Tell me about it," Hunter mutters.

 

"Okay, so...we go back to the hotel, we find the old man and you...do whatever speech I hope to God you're writing in your head right now." Shane says. "If you're still alive by the end of that encounter, then you and Roman can...discuss your next steps, or whatever."

 

"Meanwhile we try to figure out the programming side of things..." Stephanie says. "How this affects the product and how we'll deal with it."

 

 _What's best for business_ , Hunter hears his own mantra repeat inside his own head, the words tasting bitter at the back of his throat. He has zero fucks to give about the business at this precise moment, and every minute spent away from where he should be, at Roman's side, is a minute too many.

 

"I know it's the last thing you want to think about right now, Hunter..." Stephanie says gently, as if sensing his discomfort. "...so let me do that, okay? You have enough to sort out already."

 

"Yeah," Hunter agrees, staring at the tall stack of papers on the desk, the multiple copies of NDAs that Nicola printed out for him, on crisp white paper bearing the company's logo, missing only the signatures that would make them official company documentation, a seemingly trivial act that makes all of this starkly real.

 

He grabs two copies and hands one to each of the McMahon siblings--Stephanie giving it a brief read-through before rifling through her handbag for a pen. Shane, on the other hand, still has his arms folded, giving Hunter that look of being mildly affronted, even though he's not nearly as accusatory as he was five minutes ago.

 

"This isn't for me, Shane..." Hunter says.

 

"Jesus...just sign it already," Stephanie says as she flips to the last page and promptly signs her name on the dotted line. "He's not asking you to sell your shares in the company or anything like that."

 

"No, I'm asking you to help me..." Hunter says, pushing the papers towards Shane. "Help me protect Roman, and my unborn child."

 

At that, Shane relents, grabbing the papers and placing it on the desk to sign it. "I sure hope you know what you're doing, Hunter..."

 

"I don't," Hunter says truthfully. "But I still have to try."

 

 

\---

 

 

"Did he say what time he'll be back?" Seth says as he changes the channel again, stifling a yawn with his other hand.

 

"No, just that he needed to...take care of some things," Roman says, staring at the half-empty pack of digestive biscuits and the cup of tea that constitutes his dinner--probably not the best choice, considering his particular situation, but he's really not into the idea of having another vomiting episode tonight.

 

Seth's been fussing over him since they got back to the hotel, offering Roman everything from ordering up room service to running him a hot bath. Roman said no to the former and yes to the latter, and Seth even helped him dry his hair after that, making sure the long strands don't tangle into each other as Roman sat on the edge of the bed.

 

"That's it, you're top of my list of potential babysitters," Roman had told him, and Seth had paused for a good long while before letting out a relieved little chuckle, commenting on how it's good to know that Roman's okay to joke about his little situation.

 

They both relaxed a little bit after that little exchange, and for the past hour or so they've just lounged around on the beds, Roman lying flat on his back, his hand every so often drifting towards his own stomach before he can stop himself. He's worked off most of his shock and his nervous shaking, a quiet fog descending over his mind that he knows is poor substitute for actually 'dealing with it' but is preferable for now.

 

"You can go back to your room if you want..." Roman says quietly. "I think I'll be fine."

 

"Not happening," Seth mumbles from the other bed. "I promised him I'd stay with you until he got back."

 

"He could be a while..." Roman says. "I can't imagine this being as simple as shoving a bunch of NDAs in front of people and making them sign it..."

 

"Well, he had to start somewhere..." Seth says. "How are you feeling?"

 

"Okay, I guess..." Roman says as he stares up at the ceiling.

 

"Have another biscuit," Seth says. "You've managed to keep them down so far..."

 

Roman reaches for the packet, biting into the chewy biscuit and cradling the crumbs with his other hand. "If this is the only thing I can stomach for the foreseeable future, I'm so _fucked_."

 

"Hey, watch that language, big dog..." Seth says. "Not wise to cuss when there's children present."

 

Roman rolls his eyes at him. "Let's see you try to keep that mouth of yours PG when someone says you've got a bun in the oven."

 

Seth laughs. "Nah, I think whatever forces are at work in this universe knows better than to give me the genetic capabilities for that, Ro..."

 

"Yeah, lucky me..." Roman sighs, then immediately regrets his tone, hand quickly caressing his stomach out of instinct. It's a stupid thing to do, as if whatever life is taking hold inside him is susceptible to his shifting moods, but he feels guilty just the same.

 

_I'm sorry. I didn't mean that._

It's ridiculous to expect any kind of reply, to wait for some kind of consciousness to reach out and touch his own, but Roman feels strangely comforted by doing it, acknowledging the presence inside him directly for the first time.

 

_I don't know what I'm supposed to do. I'm sorry._

Can it feel him? His unease? His moment of revulsion, however brief and fleeting, when it dawned on him that his life would never be the same again? Did it sense the relief that flooded over Roman when Hunter was in the room?

 

_I just need...I need your father here._

Roman shuts his eyes at the thought, a flutter of warmth he knows isn't a product of his imagination starting at his chest and radiating throughout his body.

 

_Father._

_Hunter._

He's jostled from his little reverie when there's a series of loud knocks on the door, too persistent to be hotel staff, and Seth immediately jumps from the bed. "I'll get it..."

 

Roman sits up a little on his bed as Hunter enters, looking decidedly tired despite the smile he puts on for Roman's sake, Seth closing the door behind him.

 

"Hey, you..." Hunter says as he sits at the edge of Roman's bed. "Feeling okay?"

 

"I guess..." Roman shrugs. "Managed to get some food down--not much, but at least it's something..."

 

"Good, that's good..." Hunter nods approvingly, placing one hand on Roman's left knee.

 

"Guess I'll head back to my room, then..." Seth says as he unplugs his phone charger from the wall socket. "Unless you need anything else?"

 

"I think we're good for now..." Hunter says. "Thanks, Seth...oh, and there should be some paperwork under your room door. Can you sign it and give it back to Nicola first thing tomorrow?"

 

"Sure..." Seth says on his way out the door. "G'night, you two..."

 

When the door finally closes behind Seth with that definite _click_ , and Roman finds himself alone with Hunter for the first time since this ordeal began, he turns to look at the older man, unsure of where to even begin. "Hunter, I..."

 

He doesn't get to finish his sentence, because Hunter is grabbing him and pulling him into a tight embrace, knocking the air right out of Roman's lungs. The shock is momentary, his arms flailing at his sides for a split second before flinging themselve around Hunter's back.

 

Then, without warning, the tears come.

 

_Stop it. Stop it._

He can't, though, and he wonders if this is just the shock of the day finally setting in or the result of something else, hormonal or however the fuck else this damn thing supposedly works, but his eyes won't stop watering. He doesn't even register what Hunter says for the next twenty seconds or so, if they're words at all, as he wets the expensive material of Hunter's suit with tears.

 

Hunter doesn't seem to mind, just tightens his arms around Roman even more, slowly maneuvering until they're lying on their sides on the narrow single bed, Roman letting himself sag against Hunter's chest, burying his head between the pillow and the crook of Hunter's neck.

 

The relief flooding his chest is a feeling he knows well, something that only happens when Hunter's wrapped tightly around him like this.

 

_Safe._

Then, almost ineveitably, his thought extends to the other presence in the room, nestled somewhere between them.

 

_He's here. We're safe._

He repeats it like a mantra, over and over, this time not only for himself.

 

 

\---

 

 

It's not until his eyes flutter open that Roman realizes that he's fallen asleep.

 

For a brief moment the possibility enters his mind that it could have all been a strange dream, and he surprises himself with the odd pang of disappointment that comes over him. But then he registers Hunter's presence next to him, the way their bodies are still tangled together, the drying trails on his own cheeks, and he knows this is their reality now, whatever comes with it.

 

Hunter's eyes are open, watching him, smiling when Roman blinks at him.

 

"How...how long did I sleep?"

 

"An hour or so," Hunter says. "You look like you needed it, too."

 

Roman exhales deeply, one palm pressed against Hunter's chest. "Are we...are we in trouble?"

 

"Well, we both still have our jobs, let's start with that..." Hunter says, adjusting his position a little so he can look Roman in the eyes. "So far I've managed to limit the number of people who knows to under ten and got them all to sign NDAs...well, except for Vince, of course."

 

Roman winces a little. "So he knows..."

 

"I wanted to get it out of the way..." Hunter says. "I didn't want you to have to do it -- I'm sorry I took that decision on your behalf, but--"

 

"No, you're right..." Roman says. "I don't feel like explaining this to him--or to anybody, for that matter."

 

"Well, now you don't have to."

 

"How...how bad was it?"

 

"Considering how bad it _could_ have gone?" Hunter shrugs. "Not a complete disaster, to be honest..."

 

"Really?"

 

"Mostly it was me getting chewed out for 'irresponsible behavior' as an Executive Vice President...and my false interpretation of what it means to 'develop' talent..."

 

Roman shudders involuntarily. "Did you have to tell him...about us?"

 

"I'd rather he know the truth about us than make his own damn assumptions," Hunter says. "I don't really care what he thinks of me at this point--not like he can run me out of the company without approval from the shareholders, but I didn't want him to have the wrong idea about you."

 

"I can't say I care either..." Roman sighs.

 

"Well, after he finished his rant he sort of calmed down a bit, then he said we needed to have some kind of plan--you know, for whatever comes next."

 

Roman squirms a little, but he knows putting the matter off for another day isn't going to make it any easier to deal with. "You said..there's a policy? Regarding this?"

 

"Yes," Hunter nods. "For starters, you're removed from the active roster, effective immediately. Kind of a no-brainer, really."

 

"And then?"

 

"And then...it's really something you need to think about, Roman. The company will manage the situation according to the wishes of the person involved."

 

Roman breathes deeply. "I don't know...like, I don't know if I can decide right now. There's just so much rattling around in my head--"

 

"I know..." Hunter squeezes his shoulder slightly. "It can wait. But tomorrow first thing, we're going downtown to see a specialist that Dr. Lewis knows--get you a full checkup, so we know all the details."

 

"In...in the city?"

 

"It's a private clinic, so less to worry about with crowds and all that," Hunter assures him, recognizing the mild panic in his tone. "We'll make it a private visit, not one for the company's books, keep everything off the record for now..."

 

Roman relaxes slightly, though he can't quite quell the nagging worry in the back of his mind. "We can't do that forever though, can we?"

 

"No..." Hunter admits. "But we can keep it going for a while... at least until we make a decision on how to proceed."

 

Roman looks up at him, trailing a finger through the older man's thick beard. "You'll be there, right? With me?"

 

"Baby, I'm not going anywhere..." Hunter assures him. "Whatever you need, however you wanna do this...I'm gonna be there."

 

Roman smiles at last, feeling at least some semblance of calm return to his tumultuous mind. "Thanks..."

 

 

\---

 

 

The private clinic Hunter takes him to has a nondescript side entrance which led to a quiet waiting area, nearly empty so early in the morning. Roman had terrifying visions of hospital maternity wards crowded with expectant mothers, overly-cheerful posters and crying babies, so it's a relief to find himself in such a subdued environment, with only the weird antiseptic smell in the air denoting that this is a medical facility.

 

The specialist that Dr. Lewis referred them to is one Dr. Kirkland--a man well into his fifties with a full head of greying hair and thick reading glasses. He went about the task of drawing Roman's blood and handing it over to his lab tech, getting another urine sample, and asking him questions with a kind of unbothered ease that goes a long way in making Roman relax, even with Hunter watching the doctor's every move as if ready to pounce at the slightest sign of Roman being in any discomfort.

 

They're waiting for the results of the bloodwork to come back, sitting on the couch in the doctor's small exam room while he writes down in his notes, asking Roman some more questions.

 

"And did you experience the nausea again this morning?"

 

"No..." Roman says. "I don't know, maybe I'm just...wrung out from the whole experience."

 

"It can be quite a shock," the doctor says as he jots down in his notepad. "Though I must say you're handling it better than most of my other patients..."

 

"Do you...get a lot of patients?" Hunter chimes in. "Male carriers, I mean...I can't imagine there's enough of them to keep a whole clinic like this running."

 

"Officially, I'm just like any other practicing obstretician and gynecologist..." Dr. Kirkland says. "We take in people who prefer a bit more privacy and discretion...which often applies to my male patients. I get five, maybe six of those every year."

 

"That's already a heck of a lot more than I've known all my life..." Roman mutters.

 

"Ahh, yes...and nine times out of ten, they walk in exactly like you did--confused, more than a little shocked, and with a hint of disbelief," the doctor says. "Though you're lucky in that you seem to have a support system," he nods towards Hunter.

 

"And they...don't?"

 

Dr. Kirkland leans back a little in his seat, regarding Roman seriously. "Most of the time, I have young men just like you who come here alone--scared, uncertain, not knowing what to do. They can't even bear the thought of telling their families--for reasons I'm sure you understand."

 

"It means coming out, doesn't it?" Roman sighs.

 

"It's unfortunate, isn't it..." the doctor says. "That something that should be a source of great joy for a lot of people, can be such a burden if you find yourself in an...unfriendly environment."

 

Roman steals a glance at Hunter, who shakes his head slightly. "One thing at a time, baby...one thing at a time."

 

"Sound advice," Dr. Kirkland nods. "Though I assume from what you've told me that your family is aware of male carriers throughout your bloodline?"

 

"I know of one," Roman says. "There could have been more--but it's just...it's not something you talk about, you know? Like, it's not like when you know your family's inclined towards diabetes or a heart disease...even then your default position is thinking 'oh it's not gonna happen to me', until..." his voice trails off. "...until it does."

 

"That is true of most hereditary conditions and how people choose to think about them," Dr. Kirkland says. "Between you and me, it keeps hospitals in business..."

 

Roman allows himself a little chuckle, and Hunter also smiles thinly.

 

"Now, of course I'd be happy to be your attending physician, but neither of you are based in New York, correct?"

 

"No, we're...well, our job, it means we're on the road almost all the time," Hunter says. "The closest thing we have to a permanent home is in Florida,"

 

"Orlando, by any chance?"

 

"Well...yes, actually."

 

"Ah, then you're in luck--" Dr. Kirkland consults the contact list on his phone. "I do have one colleague based there, a very good specialist who's done more studies and research into male carriers than anyone I know--here."

 

Hunter quickly pulls out his phone to copy the contact. "Dr. Elise Yang," he says.

 

"In any other circumstance I'd offer to contact her on your behalf and forward your files, but Dr. Lewis informed me of your wish for complete secrecy for the time being,"

 

"Yeah, it's..." Roman shifts a little. "...complicated."

 

"We'll get in touch with her when we get back to Florida," Hunter says. "We should be home Monday,"

 

 _After the Royal Rumble_ , Roman thinks. By then, everyone would have noticed his absence. Everyone will be asking questions. He curls inward involuntarily at the thought--people have been throwing around speculations, rumors, or just blatant misinformation about him for as long as he can remember, and he's learned over the years not to care about them, to not let them get to him. This time, though, this time it's different. It's not just about _him_ anymore.

 

When Dr. Kirkland's assistant returns with the lab results, Roman finds himself reaching for Hunter's hand out of instinct, squeezing his fingers tightly. Hunter squeezes back, though his expression remains calm as the doctor looks at the paperwork.

 

"Well...I can confirm to you that you're indeed pregnant--if you really needed that confirmation," Dr. Kirkland says. "From the looks of it, you're about two months along."

 

Suddenly, the pressure on Roman's fingers from Hunter's hand becomes almost painful, his whole body tensing up. "Two...two months?"

 

"Give or take a week," Dr. Kirkland says.

 

Hunter's whole calm demeanor has changed, looking at Roman with panic flaring in his eyes. "That would mean...shit, Abu Dhabi--you were already pregnant then?"

 

Roman finally gets it, the look of fear in Hunter's eyes--he felt it himself yesterday, knowing what he's put his body through up to the minute he found out, all the bumping and the impact, all the hours of working out, traveling, jet lag...

 

"Is something concerning you?" the doctor asks gently.

 

"Dr. Lewis informed you of the nature of our jobs, right?" Roman asks.

 

"Yes," Dr. Kirkland nods. "I'm pretty sure I've caught you on television once or twice--I can see how that's very demanding on your bodies,"

 

"I wrestled him--in December," Hunter blurts out. "God, we threw each other around like--a good fifteen minutes or so..."

 

"We didn't know," Roman says. "How could we have known?"

 

"I see..." the doctor says. "Well, if it's any reassurance to you, I've had people come in here discovering they were pregnant--men and women alike--who do quite strenuous physical activities for a living, like you they're understandably worried that they might have hurt their baby, but from what I can see here everything seems to be normal..."

 

"Are...are you sure?" Hunter asks. "We're not just talking heavy manual labor or exercise here, doc...in our job, people get dropped on their backs, get hit with stuff, get slammed to the floor..."

 

"I understand your concerns," Dr. Kirkland says. "We could do a sonogram, if that would put your minds at ease..."

 

"You can...do that? At this stage of it?" Roman asks. "Sorry, Doc...I really don't know much about this whole thing at all..."

 

"No worries," the doctor says."Yes, you won't see very much physical definition at this point, but we can pick up the heartbeat, check the vitals."

 

"Please," Hunter says. "I...we need to know."

 

Roman reaches over and grabs Hunter's hand, squeezing it gently. "Yeah..."

 

"Okay, well then let me get my assistant to prep the equipment and we'll let you know," Dr. Kirkland says as he excuses himself.

 

When they're left in the room, Hunter lets out a long exhale and rubs his face, looking many years older and a lot more anxious, any pretense of calm he might have put up for Roman's benefit slipping away.

 

"Hunter..."

 

"It's...it's probably okay, right? I just need to know...God, the things you've done...the last two months..."

 

"I know," Roman takes Hunter's face in one hand, turning it to look him in the eyes. "I...I wish we'd have known sooner, too..."

 

Hunter touches their foreheads together. "Roman...we're having a baby."

 

Roman nods as the words sink into him. It's as if saying it out loud makes it real somehow, this whole surreal circus that has enveloped him in the last twelve hours. "We are..."

 

"I...God, I know this is still a huge shock--for both of us, but..." Hunter allows himself the smallest of smiles. "I can't think of anything that would make me happier..."

 

Roman smiles back. "Yeah, me too...I mean, I know I don't show it right now, I still can't--can't quite believe it, but maybe a part of me...wanted this."

 

"I've been talking about trying to knock you up for years," Hunter chuckles nervously. "Glad to know my persistence paid off."

 

Roman giggles as he rubs his nose against Hunter's. "You always do get your wish in the end..."

 

 

\-----

 

 

The last time Roman had an ultrasound it was to check for internal injuries after one of Braun Strowman's more careless beatings -- Hunter hadn't been with him then, but kept in check before and after the procedure, demanding to know results as soon as the medical team gets them.

 

Now, he's tapping his toes nervously sitting on a chair next to where Roman is lying down, holding his hand as the technician rubs the gel over Roman's stomach and moves the transducer into position. Dr. Kirkland is looking intently at the screen as well, and Roman almost can't bear the tension as he waits and squeezes Hunter's fingers.

 

"There..." Dr. Kirkland says. "See? That's the head, the curve of the spine..."

 

Roman turns his head towards the screen, trying to make out the shapes that the doctor is describing. Hunter's grip on his hand turns almost painful as they both stare at the screen, at the vaguest outline of a blurry shape of a tiny head, the barest protrusion of limbs. And enclosed within it, almost imperceptible through the shifting lines of the scanner image, a tiny and steadily pulsing point.

 

"Oh my God..." Roman hears himself whisper.

 

"Is that..." Hunter shifts to get a closer look.

 

"Yes, that's the heart right there..." Dr. Kirkland confirms. "Heartrate is normal, vitals look good. I'd say your baby seems to be developing quite normally for the two-month mark..."

 

Roman can't stop staring -- there's not much there to see, as the doctor explained before, just the beginnings of an outline, but that steadily beating heart, tiny and blurry in the screen, is an overwhelming sight to see.

 

"Hunter?"

 

"I see it, baby..." Hunter says, his voice sounding in awe. "I see it."

 

"I'll have a printout ready for you -- for your personal record as well as for Dr. Yang," Dr. Kirkland says. "It's too early to tell gender of course,"

 

"Thank you, doc..." Hunter says. "This...this is more than enough."

 

Dr. Kirkland smiles sympathetically. "I'm glad to help."

 

 

\---

 

 

The whole ride back to the hotel, Roman is holding the printout in one hand, not even looking out the window, his other arm linked through Hunter's as they sit together in the back seat. Outside, it's another bitterly cold day in New York city, and he's bundled up tight against the weather, but he feels sufficiently warm where he is now, holding the confirmation in his hand, holding Hunter with the other, things finally starting to settle a little inside his head.

 

"Look..." Hunter passes him his tablet, open to an e-mail from one of his staff. "This is the draft statement we prepared for the website. What do you think?"

 

Roman tears his eyes away from the printout reluctantly to read through the statement. It's generic, just as they discussed, with no details on the 'medical condition' that's necessitating his removal from the active roster, and his absence from the Royal Rumble and the upcoming Wrestlemania.

 

 _And well beyond that,_ Roman thinks.

 

"It's...enough, I think? For now," he says.

 

"It'll hold us until the end of the week," Hunter says. "The press will be focused on the Rumble for the most part, and there's gonna be enough news material for a good few days after...by then we should be home."

 

Roman nods, leaning against Hunter as he passes the tablet back. "I feel tired..."

 

"You didn't sleep well at all last night," Hunter says. "Doctor says it's normal to feel easily fatigued..."

 

Roman turns back to the printout, rubbing his thumb against the blurry outline of his baby's head. It's a static image, missing that tiny pulsing heart, but Roman can still see it in his head, that reassuring steady beat, the sign of another life inside him, something he and Hunter created together.

 

"Keep that..." Hunter says. "I saved the digital copy to my phone earlier."

 

Roman smiles, snuggling deeper against Hunter's shoulder. "Think it'll look like you? Or me?"

 

"As long as it doesn't have my nose, I'm happy..." Hunter chuckles. "I have a feeling it'll look like you, though--strong genes and whatnot..."

 

"Hmmm..." Roman sighs sleepily, placing the printout on his lap as his eyes flutter shut.

 

 

\----

 

 

_Mom, you'll probably hear or read something about me on the news. Don't worry. I'm fine. I'll explain everything to you and Dad in person next week. I love you._

\----

 

 

In Philadelphia, while Hunter is away overseeing the NXT: Takeover event, Roman finds himself in a hotel room in the company of three people he's invited up to share the news personally: Jimmy and Jey, along with Naomi. As far as family goes, they're the first people to find out, and Roman watches the twins exchange looks as they take in the news.

 

"For real, Uce?" Jimmy asks.

 

"Yeah," Roman says. "Looks like you two are gonna have to represent the blood for the foreseeable future," he smiles at them. "I'm gonna be out of action for a while."

 

"Never mind that..." Jey says. "Are you okay? Is everything okay?"

 

"It's about as okay as it can be..." Roman says truthfully. "I mean, there's lots more that I need to get checked on, but the doctor tells me everything seems to be proceeding normally..."

 

"When did you find out?" Naomi asks.

 

"Right afer RAW," Roman says. "Good thing, too--they told me I'm about two months along..."

 

"Jesus..." Jey exclaims. "Already?"

 

"I know, I kinda freaked when I found out, too..." Roman says, turning to the other twin. "You okay, Jimmy?"

 

Jimmy looks to be staring at a middle distance somewhere, shaking his head slowly. "I...I'm still trying to figure out which part is the bigger shocker...the pregnant part or the Hunter part."

 

Naomi cuffs her husband's shoulder lightly. "And you thought I was trippin'..."

 

Roman looks at her. "Wait...you knew?"

 

"I thought there might have been something," Naomi says with a shrug. "The number of times I seen the two of you leaving arenas together, or him not being at gorilla right after your matches--"

 

"Yeah, I thought she was imagining things," Jimmy says.

 

"Not that I wanted to bring it up with you," Naomi adds quickly to Roman. "Figured it was something you wanted to keep to yourself."

 

Roman gives her a thin smile. "Yeah, I didn't feel like 'oh hey I'm screwing the boss' made for good family conversation,"

 

"You ain't just screwing anymore though...are you?" Jimmy asks.

 

"No, I'm..." Roman pauses, hands stretching as if to describe some unfathomable concept. "This is it for me."

 

He's pretty sure he's never said those words before, not even to himself, and the weight and finality of it settles over him.

 

This is it.

_Baby, I'm not going anywhere._

"When are you gonna tell your parents?"

 

"Next week, when I'm back in Florida..." Roman says, exhaling heavily. "I have no idea how they'll take it..."

 

"They don't know about Hunter either, do they?" Naomi asks.

 

"No..." Roman says. "S'gonna be an interesting conversation, to say the least."

 

"Well...anything you need from us, Uce..." Jey says quietly. "Just say so. We'll be there."

 

"Yeah, you let us know," Jimmy chimes in. "Like, when you start assembling nursery furniture or something -- I don't think old man Hunter's used a hammer for its true purpose for the last twenty years..."

 

Naomi punches his shoulder for real this time, but Roman laughs. "You'll be the first people I call when the time comes, I promise."

 

 

\---

 

 

On the day of the Royal Rumble itself, Roman's morning sickness returns with a vengeance--making him fiercely wish that the widely-held belief that it's supposed to ease off during the second trimester turns out to be true. Hunter dutifully rubs his back throughout and helps him into clean clothes once the vomiting seems to be over, bundling him up on the bed with some extra blankets he's called up from housekeeping.

 

"Shouldn't...shouldn't you be at the arena?" Roman whispers weakly against Hunter's chest about an hour later, having downed half a bottle of water and nibbled the corners off a breakfast sandwich.

 

"They can wait..." Hunter tells him. "Besides, you seen the weather out there? Can't think of anywhere nicer and warmer to be than right here with you."

 

Roman chuckles a little -- it's bitterly cold outside, the Philadelphia skies gray with low-hanging clouds. "At least we're not getting snowed in again..."

 

"Forecasts say it shouldn't be anything near as bad..." Hunter says. "We'll be back in Orlando tomorrow."

 

Roman exhales loudly."My phone's going crazy...a lot of the guys asking what's happened."

 

"Aside from Seth and your cousins, nobody knows...yet," Hunter says.

 

"Braun wants to know if I'm still up for sushi nights," Roman says, smiling bitterly. "How do I even respond to that? Not for the next seven months?"

 

"You don't have to respond now..." Hunter says. "But yeah, I bet everyone's worried after that non-explanation we published on the website."

 

"I'll tell some of them, I will...just didn't feel right letting them know before I got a chance to talk to family." Roman says. "How fast can Nicola print out those NDAs?"

 

"Oh, I bought her a portable yesterday..." Hunter says. "She's also got our flight home sorted out, as well as our appointment with Dr. Yang."

 

"Cool," Roman says. "You really should be going....I'm okay, I really am."

 

Hunter's hand rubs up and down his back gently. "Just a little longer..."

 

Roman sighs and burrows deeper -- he really can't argue against that.

 

 

\---

 

"Do you remember Jane, from Media Monitoring?" Stephanie asks casually as she pours herself a mug of coffee in the VIP area backstage.

 

"Jane...?"

 

"She's the one who briefed you on the social media response after Survivor Series last year,"

 

"Oh, her..." Hunter nods. "Yeah, I remember."

 

"I'm gonna assign her to liaise with you throughout this..." Stephanie pauses. "...this thing. You might see or hear things being said out there -- best if you have someone who can help you interpret all the noise and chatter."

 

Hunter shrugs. "Seems more convenient to just ignore the noise..."

 

"Oh, wouldn't we all like to do that..." she says as she stirs a cube of sugar into her coffee. "But we're keeping him out of action for an indefinite period, Hunter. People are gonna talk. And it's best that you both be prepared to respond. Jane can help distill all that chatter into a tangible set of data,"

 

"Can you spare her? From her daily work?"

 

"There's plenty of people in the division--besides, she has a PR background. That might come in handy for you--somewhere down the line."

 

"Okay, give her Nicola's number, I'll be in touch with her sometime next week," Hunter says. "Thanks,"

 

"Don't mention it," Stephanie says as she sips her coffee. "How's he doing?"

 

"He was very sick this morning...he seems okay when I left, managed to eat and drink a little..." Hunter rubs at his eyes. "It's been a tough week for him."

 

"For both of you," Stephanie adds. "You know, Jane told me this morning that there's still a portion of the internet convinced that all this is yet another angle we're working to push him..."

 

Hunter snorts derisively. "There's people out there who believe _everything_ about Roman is an angle designed to push him..."

 

"True," Steph nods. "For all that they compain about getting him 'shoved down their throats' or whatever...I wonder if they'll actually miss him..."

 

Hunter shrugs. "I guess we'll just have to wait to find out..."

 

 

\---

 

 

Roman watches the Royal Rumble on the huge flatscreen TV in Hunter's hotel suite, propped up on pillows and feeling decidedly less like death warmed over. He managed to finish a bowl of soup earlier, taking a picture of the empty bowl and sending it to Hunter as proof, for which he got a thumbs-up emoji as a response.

 

Now he's settled in to watch the spectacle unfold--the company's first big marquee PPV of 2018, the start of the much-touted Road to Wrestlemania. It's strange, to watch things happen without him, though the guilt and longing he feared would dominate his emotions aren't as strong as he thought they would be. Instead, he finds himself chatting idly to his baby with a hand over his stomach, commenting on the things happening on-screen.

 

"See, this is where I was supposed to come in and throw out Seth..." he remarks. "You remember Uncle Seth? He was there when I first learned about you..."

 

It would've been a subtle moment compared to the grand dramatic gestures of the rest of the show -- he would've thrown Seth over the ropes, and they would've shared a look between them, a sly little smile on his part and Seth shaking his head, acknowledging that he had it coming.

 

"Yeah, Uncle Seth can be a dickhead at times..." Roman smiles thinly. "I'm glad he's getting his time to shine, though."

 

It feels like a lifetime since Roman last watched the Royal Rumble as a pure spectator -- hearing the crowd ooh and aah and roar over the eliminations and the surprise entries. Not that any of the entrants this year were a surprise to Roman, having been briefed on the planned outcome back when he was still slated to play a part in it.

 

Roman feels a tightening in his gut as he watches Hurricane Helms take his surprise entry spot -- he would've loved to be there, to meet the man backstage and talk to him, share stories about his late brother -- the Hurricane's tag team partner Rosey.

 

"That's...that's your uncle Matt's old partner..." he says, sniffling. "God, it's been ages since we last saw him...he came to the funeral, but I didn't talk to him much on that day..."

 

Seth takes his place in the final six -- eliminating Finn, no doubt seeds of some kind of future feud. He hangs around until the final three, until he's dumped over the ropes by John Cena--to a predictably loud cacophony of boos. Then it's Cena against Shinsuke, the last remaining two, and Roman prays to all the Heavens that they've stuck with the original plans for the winner, that for once the Royal Rumble will have a winner the audience will happily get behind.

 

His prayers are answered when Shinsuke delivers a kinshasa which John sells for all its worth, before vaulting the veteran company man over the ropes to a deafening explosion of noise. That was the role Roman was supposed to be playing -- bowing out to put Shinsuke over, not that the man needed much help in that department judging by the way the crowd is reacting.

 

"Well, that's it, I suppose..." Roman says, stroking his stomach. "Don't think they miss us all that much, do you?"

 

After that, the Universal title match is a rather tepid affair -- Roman tunes out for much of it, choosing to use the time to finish packing so he'd be ready to go tomorrow morning. He's already thinking of the warmer Florida climate, of being home, and only turns to the TV screen when Brock predictably pins Kane and walks out of the arena with the big red belt still on him.

 

The women are up next to close the show -- Roman smiles when he watches Naomi's little acrobatic sequence. No doubt they're setting her up as some kind of female version of Kofi, always with a highlight save for each year's Royal Rumble. He can imagine Jimmy cheering his head off for her somewhere backstage.

 

He has to admit that they've planned this out well -- down to the surprise nostalgia entries and the NXT stars. The crowd seems to be totally engaged too, popping for every big move and standoff between stars old and new.

 

In the end, it seems only fitting that Asuka stand tall after eliminating Nikki Bella -- a direct mirror of what happened in the men's Royal Rumble. New faces triumphing over the old guard, two Japanese natives climbing on the turnbuckles to perform the hallowed gesture of pointing at the Wrestlemania sign. Roman smiles as he watches it all unfold -- it's a bummer that he's missed out on being there, where everyone's gathered and hyping each other up backstage, buzzing off the energy of one of the biggest nights on the company's calendar.

 

"I guess...I'll have to do without for the time being," he sighs, stroking his stomach. He's looked at himself countless times in the mirror this week, trying to see any sign that he's begun to show, but there's not much there yet beyond his usual pudginess around the middle. "It's okay--I think you and your father should be enough to keep me company,"

 

_Your father._

Each time he thinks of it, of Hunter as the father of his child, there's a swell of something inside his chest, a burst of joy and longing. It's more acute each time Hunter is away from him, amplified whenever he returns. Roman lies back on the bed, staring at the patterns in the ceiling as he drifts off, one hand over his stomach and the other laid on the space next to him, where Hunter should be.

 

 

\---

 

 

Roman wakes when Hunter is trying to tiptoe his way into the room, blinking his eyes open at the figure looming at the foot of the bed.

 

"Hunter..?"

 

"Hey, baby...." Hunter says. "Sorry, didn't mean to wake you..."

 

Roman reaches out with his hands. "Doesn't matter. C'mere..."

 

Hunter pauses in his movements, recognizing the want in Roman's voice. "You...you sure?"

 

"Come here," Roman repeats a little more insistently. He's not usually one for issuing demands in this relationship, but the itch under his skin is taking over him, Hunter being so close, his presence filling out the whole room.

 

Hunter climbs on the bed, a little tentatively, but Roman pulls him by the sleeves of his shirt until he's lying on top of Roman, despite him trying not to put his full weight on him.

 

"Missed me?" Hunter asks, propping himself up on his elbows.

 

"Shhh..." Roman shushes him as he takes Hunter's face and lowers it to kiss him, their first real kiss since the shock of the last few days. It floods him with warmth and a more piercing, pronounced heat, and he can feel the same thing rippling through Hunter's body, as much as he tries to contain himself.

 

"Roman..." Hunter whispers against his mouth.

 

"It's okay..." Roman says. "I didn't suddenly turn to glass because I'm carrying your child..."

 

Something flares in Hunter's eyes when Roman says 'carrying your child', and Roman soon finds himself hastily stripped off the layers of clothing Hunter had so carefully put on him this morning, a triumphant rush coursing in his blood.

 

From there, it's the old familiar taste of Hunter's possessive streak, the way his big hands get all over Roman, squeezing and caressing in equal measure. There's a grunt of desperation in how he's moving over Roman, like he's held himself back all this time, and Roman helpfully spreads his thighs wide and links his arms behind Hunter's back, letting him know his advances are more than welcome.

 

"God, since that night..." Hunter rasps against his ear. "Since we found out....been thinking about this, about you..."

 

Roman licks a hot stripe up Hunter's lower jaw. "You pleased with yourself, Daddy? That you managed to knock me up?"

 

"Fuck, yeah..." Hunter grunts as he reaches down between them to fumble his pants open. "Told you I was gonna get there one day,"

 

Roman laughs as he throws his head back. "Well...you got me good there, Daddy."

 

"Damn right I did..." Hunter says as he kicks off his pants and underwear. He's still got his shirt on, unbuttoned, which is just the way Roman likes him.

 

Hunter slinks down Roman's body, pausing to press a kiss to his stomach, a tender interlude which lasts but half a second, before he proceeds further down and shoves Roman's legs apart with his hands.

 

The first wet touch of a thick, insistent tongue against his hole makes Roman shudder all over, held in place by Hunter's grip on his pelvis. Hunter's always up for a fuck after Pay-Per-Views, normally so keyed up from the adrenaline and buzz of the show but with no real outlet for it save for Roman's body, depending on what state it's in after his match.

 

Well now, Hunter gets to play with him pristine and untouched--and pregnant.

 

Hunter spends a good long while getting his hole nice and wet, adding fingers to the mix to loosen him up. Roman lifts his knees up and holds them up as best he can -- squirming as Hunter makes a mess between his legs.

 

"Want me to turn over?" he offers.

 

"No, I wanna have you like this..." Hunter says as he gently sets Roman's legs down, then not-so-gently heaves his hips up to cant it for the best entry angle. "Lemme look at you,"

 

Roman closes his eyes as Hunter breaches him, relaxing his muscles to welcome the intrusion, clenching every few inches just to make Hunter feel it, drawing him deeper inside. Hunter doesn't stop until he's buried to the hilt, his hips flush with Roman's backside, his hands tight on Roman's hips.

 

"Later...we'll do it with you on your knees," Hunter remarks as he starts thrusting. "When you're big enough that I can reach around and feel your big belly, swaying while I fuck you..."

 

"Fuuuck..." Roman hisses as the image floods his mind, making him feel heated and faint.

 

"Wonder how big you'll get," Hunter says as he picks his pace up a little, each thrust a forceful jab that hits Roman right in his sweet spot. "If all of you is gonna swell up, giving me so much more to play with..."

 

Roman bites his lip, his hands skating up and down Hunter's forearms. "You think it's true what they say? That...that pregnancy makes you hornier?"

 

A flash of mischief lights up Hunter's eyes as he smirks, leaning down to whisper closely in Roman's ear. "I sure hope so...though I wonder how much more instatiable you can get, my precious knocked up slut..."

 

"Mmmm....maybe I'll match you for once," Roman says, teasingly nibbling at Hunter's ear.

 

"Oh, I fucking doubt it..." Hunter says. "Would love to feel you trying, though."

 

With that, he leans back and starts pounding away, not really giving Roman much space nor presence of mind to speak anymore. Roman lets himself get taken for the ride, as he always does, amplified now by the release of a whole week's worth of tension, and the anticipation of what lies ahead.

 

He feels Hunter going for his cock, rough callouses enclosing the hot flesh as he pumps in rhythm to his thrusts. "Fuck, you're so hard and wet for me, baby...you're gonna come soon, aren't you?"

 

Roman's not even gonna deny it, he just nods wordlessly as Hunter tightens his grip. He slows down the thrust of his hips a little, but before Roman can protest Hunter's lowered himself down again, mouthing at his neck and collarbone. "I'm gonna have my work cut out for me keeping you filled up and satisfied--not that I don't relish the challenge."

 

Hunter's mouth travels lower, leaving a wet trail of saliva down Roman's chest, until he veers off to lick teasingly at one nipple.

 

"What about these, baby? You gonna get all nice and plump here too? Give me something sweet to suck on while I have my way with you?"

 

Roman gasps, coming all over Hunter's hand and his own stomach. It's so vivid and filthy, the images Hunter's painting for him, and the knowledge that it's all true this time around seems to ignite that sudden flash inside him, sending him over the edge. Hunter smiles and strokes him throughout the climax, peppering his chest with more kisses that result in trembling aftershocks. Roman feels boneless and weak by the end of it, blood thrumming in his veins, as Hunter leans back and readjusts, flinging Roman's legs over his waist and encouraging him to lock his ankles behind Hunter's back.

 

From then on, he resumes his pounding rhythm, Roman's body little more than a willing receptacle at this point, smiling hazily up at Hunter as he fucks with that steely-eyed determination that's no different in bed than it is inside the ring. Roman doesn't enjoy wrestling Hunter nearly half as much as he enjoys fucking him, but this is Hunter in his element -- in control, taking the lead, dominating the proceedings.

 

When Hunter comes, he does so with a long, bellowed-out grunt that sends ripples under Roman's skin. It's like Hunter's releasing all the weeks' stresses in that one gesture, his eyes blinking to retain focus as he stares down at Roman, his chest heaving with breath and glistening with a slick sheen of sweat. Roman reaches up to stroke that deeply-lined face, pulling him down for a kiss.

 

Hunter's still lodged inside him as they make out, the sound of their mouths sloppy and wet in the darkened room, a little shaky and uncoordinated, but so visceral and real.

 

"I love you," Roman whispers breathlessly.

 

"Love you too, baby..." Hunter says. "We're doing this, okay? We're really doing this..."

 

Roman nods, drawing Hunter closer in. "I know...I just wanna go home right now,"

 

"Tomorrow," Hunter promises. "We'll be home tomorrow. You, me, and our precious little nugget..."

 

Roman smiles. "That what you're calling it?"

 

"Well, until we know if it's a boy or a girl..."

 

"I like it..." Roman says, bringing Hunter's hand down to rest over his stomach. "You hear that, nugget?"

 

Hunter's smile widens as he strokes the skin over Roman's belly lightly. "I hope the ruckus we just caused isn't too much of a bother..."

 

"I'm sure nugget's used to it by now..." Roman assures him, smiling as the words roll of his tongue. It still strikes him, the sudden realization of this other entity present between them, nestled inside him and resting against Hunter.

 

_Us._

 

 

 

 


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Most of it he doesn't even tell Roman about--he knows it will annoy him, the extent of Hunter's preparations, as if Roman's going to shatter into shards of glass at the merest impact, but Hunter can't help it--it feels like he's doing something, at least, something apart from just holding Roman's hair back when he has to deal with his bouts of morning sickness, something more significant in the grander scheme of Roman's body apparently having decided that it loved Hunter's seed enough to want to bear its fruit.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for being patient with me while I eke out these chapters at a snail's place. I hope the length makes up for the waiting period, even if this one is a bit more exposition-heavy. A few things to note:
> 
> • The medical stuff I put in here is utter and complete bullshit. Just don't overthink any of it, yeah? :p  
> • I'm always a bit unsure about including wrestlers' real lives--like family members--but it's not like one can convincingly write an Mpreg AU without the obligatory awkward parental revelation. At least, I didn't feel like I could.  
> • The smut is severely lacking in this one, I know, but I did need to get some exposition out of the way before moving forward.  
> • As always, my dearest P has been the source of so much joy and encouragement, providing me with much-needed distraction from RL by immersing us in shippy scenarios and reminding me that I have these dorks (and their cohorts) to come home to.

 

 

_Ro the fucks goin on? Seth wont tell me and Renee says nobody backstage know what happened to you. Come on man youre making us all worry over here. Did management put you to this? This an angle we working?_

\---

 

 

"Just let me die already..."

 

"Not until you manage to eat at least a few Saltines and pop some vitamins," Hunter says. "Nicola dropped off the B6 capsules Dr. Kirkland prescribed..."

 

"Pills and crackers," Roman groans into his pillow. "I'm reduced to pills and crackers."

 

Hunter tucks a lock of stray sweaty hair behind Roman's ear, stroking his cheek. "This the worst one yet?"

 

"If it can get any worse than this, I don't wanna know..." Roman says, trying to shift his head on the pillow without making any sudden movements that will exacerbate the swirling nausea taking over his body. "Jesus Christ, how do people put up with this..."

 

Hunter's masssaging the back of his neck gently, drawing up the covers over Roman's shoulders. They arrived in Orlando the previous afternoon and since then the morning--no, the _goddamn all-day_ sickness has left Roman pretty much incapacitated.

 

"I'm gonna get Nicola to call Dr. Yang's office--push our appointment back to the afternoon," Hunter says. "Hopefully you'll be better by then,"

 

Roman makes a grunting noise and tries to get as comfortable as he can--it's like his body can't decide whether it wants to be cooler or warmer, sweat forming a constant sheen on his brow while his back feels cold and clammy.

 

Thankfully, Hunter remedies this by climbing onto the bed after him, pressing his warm chest against Roman's back. Roman shifts back into him, yanking one of Hunter's arms over his own body and around his middle where he can clutch onto those thick, blunt fingers.

 

"Your hand's cold..." Hunter whispers against his ear.

 

"Help me get warmer...." Roman mutters, clenching his eyes shut as his stomach produces another wave of nausea that's dangerously close to clawing its way up to the back of his throat.

 

"If you need to throw up again, I set a bucket down by the side of the bed..." Hunter says, dragging his nose down Roman's neck.

 

"Thanks..."

 

After a while, he hears Hunter mutter an almost inaudible "I'm sorry..." against his skin.

 

"What for?"

 

"This... all this," Hunter sighs heavily. "You being unwell and all."

 

"You've seen me sick before--and worse," Roman says.

 

"Never because of something I did..." Hunter mutters.

 

Roman squeezes their fingers together tighter. "What, those chairshots to the back don't count?"

 

Hunter manages a shaky laugh. "You know what I mean, baby... those I can make better. This... I feel like there's nothing I can do for you,"

 

"Being here is enough," Roman says, patting Hunter's hand assuringly. "It sucks, not gonna lie, but... I feel better knowing it's our baby inside, not a damn virus."

 

Hunter chuckles. "Well, if you put it that way..."

 

\---

 

_Hunter, we need to address the roster sooner rather than later. Everyone's asking about him backstage--they're worried and they don't understand why no further information's been given out. At least talk to him about how he wants to approach it, okay?_

\---

 

A nap and a bowl of soup later, Roman feels well enough to go to the bathroom and brush his teeth, trying to make himself at least somewhat presentable. As much as he dreads the prospect of taking a bumpy car ride downtown to the hospital, he knows it's something they'll need to get over and done with.

 

Hunter shows up at the bathroom door with his phone in hand, just as Roman's wiping his mouth off with a towel.

 

"Dr. Yang offered to do a house visit if you're not feeling well enough to travel..." he says. "She can be here within the next hour or so."

 

"Really?" Roman blinks at his own reflection in the mirror. "I mean, I feel better, but... if it's not too much trouble for her..."

 

"She assures me she's got a free afternoon," Hunter says.

 

"What'd she sound like? On the phone?"

 

"Formidable," Hunter says with a smile. "Like she knows her shit."

 

"Good..." Roman says as he reaches for an elastic to tie his hair. "Could do with someone like that when both of us know fuck all..."

 

"I'll let her know then," Hunter says, disappearing behind the bathroom door, leaving Roman alone with his reflection again.

 

He doesn't look half as bad as he feels, to be honest...eyes baggy from lack of sleep and skin a little sallow, but other than that there's very little to indicate that anything has changed. No telltale bump across his middle, no softening of his features, none of that 'glow' bullshit that he hears so often about pregnancies.

 

The ultrasound printout is kept on the bedside table at Roman's end--fitted between the pages of a hardcover book to keep it from getting rumpled with how much Roman's been holding it and running his fingers over it. He doesn't feel like pinning it with magnets to the fridge door like what apparently most people do--they're not most people. Most people welcome pregnancies with cake and cards, not with NDAs.

 

His moods have swung from happy anticipation to abject terror about what kind of a world he's bringing his baby into in the time it takes for Hunter to feed him a few saltine crackers, and he can't even bring himself to look at the screen of his phone anymore--every minute a new message, a new question, from genuinely concerned friends to industry people trying to get a scoop.

 

"It's crazy out there, Nugget..." he says quietly, palming at his stomach. "But don't worry, we'll stay here all nice and quiet for now..."

 

 

\----

 

_Ro, I hope you have some kind of plan about what to tell the rest of the guys--Dean's been bugging me non-stop and I keep telling him I can't say anything without your permission, but he's just really worried about you man...as they all are. Just get in touch, okay?_

_\----_

 

Dr. Elise Yang arrives a their door precisely at three in the afternoon, and Roman needs only a few seconds to understand why Hunter described her as 'formidable'.

 

Standing only up to about the middle of Hunter's chest, she nonetheless shakes his hand firmly and steps into the apartment with a sense of purpose about her, hair done up in a neat bun at the nape of her neck and eyes framed with black-rimmed spectacles.

 

She starts by going over the files from their session with Dr. Kirkland--repeating some of the questions, writing down her own notes, before asking to draw a sample of Roman's blood. She has a portable kit of sorts--fresh needles, disinfectants, medical gloves and little labeled vials for the blood, all packed into a custom case that fits neatly inside her large bag.

 

"You do a lot of house calls?" Roman says as he presents his arm.

 

"For some people the hospital can be quite an intimidating environment to be in..." Dr. Yang says as she gets ready to draw his blood. "Sometimes it's preferable to have an initial consultation in an environment where my patients are more comfortable--and your ultrasound was recent enough that I don't feel the need to roll out the heavy machinery,"

 

Roman smiles, wincing a little as the needle pierces his skin. "Yeah, it's been...quite an interesting week for us, to say the least."

 

"You seem to be holding up quite well...both of you," Dr. Yang casts a glance at Hunter. "A little frazzled, if I may say, but that's nothing unusual."

 

Hunter rubs the back of his head. "So the morning sickness thing...is normal? I mean, I don't know if we can even call it that anymore, seems to strike him day or night..."

 

"It's uncomfortable, but nothing out of the ordinary," she says as she stores the vials of blood into the case after carefully labeling each of them. "Usually you'll find one or two foods that go down and stay down easier than others--it's different for each patient..."

 

"I just wanna get the nausea stage over with and move on to the weird cravings stage," Roman sighs as he rolls his sleeve back down. "Give this guy some errands to do--or his assistants, for that matter..."

 

Hunter nudges his knee playfully as Dr. Yang smiles. "The first trimester thing is a bit of a generalization--yes, the sickness should subside as the pregancy advances, but don't expect it to go away on the dot as you enter your fourth month--it could end well before that, but it might also continue beyond it."

 

"Yikes," Hunter says as Roman scowls.

 

"Now..." Dr. Yang peels off her medical gloves and grabs her folders again. "Dr. Kirkland mentioned in his referral that his session with you was more about determining the pregnancy and what stage it was in...so you haven't really discussed in depth about the nature of your condition at all, correct?"

 

"Yes," Roman says. "He said you'd be the person to ask, being the expert and all..."

 

"I wouldn't call myself that," Dr. Yang smiles wistfully. "Yes, I probably have more hands-on experience with male carriers than most doctors in this country, but expert? I fear there's so much more that's yet to be figured out in this field..."

 

"What can you tell us, though?" Hunter chimes in. "I mean, we have so many questions, starting from the obvious..."

 

"You want to know how?" She says as she takes off her glasses. "Even that, I can only give you the prevailing theories...no definite answers."

 

"Doc, we've been...in this relationship...for years," Roman says. "Why now? Why not before, or the first time, even?"

 

Dr. Yang doesn't answer immediately, instead flipping through a few pages of Roman's medical history in her folder.

 

"It says here that you came down with an illness late last year...mumps, was it?"

 

"Yeah," Roman says. "Kept me out of action for a good month or so."

 

"We had a bit of an outbreak that affected a few people on the roster," Hunter adds. "He was one of the unlucky ones."

 

"And if we're to deduce from the test results, it would seem that you got pregnant very soon after your recovery..."

 

Roman feels his cheeks flush with heat, while Hunter seems suddenly interested in picking at a few loose threads on the armrest of the sofa.

 

"I...I guess?"

 

"Well, I'm only asking because it ties in to one of the prevailing theories..." Dr. Yang says as she closes her folder. "...I'll try my best to explain them, if you've got time to spare..."

 

"Please do..." Roman says. "I was tempted to read up on the internet, but God knows what I'm gonna find there..."

 

"Smart move on your part," Dr. Yang nods. "Okay, let's start with what we _do_ know. It's a genetic susceptibility you inherited from one or both of your parents, giving you the ability to carry children. You've gathered this much, I'm sure..."

 

Roman nods, trying his best to follow along.

 

"The data, what little of it exists, has to be looked at two ways. For example, I can tell you that we have more occurrences recorded among people of certain ethnicities--Pacific Islanders, Polynesians, Samoans such as yourself..."

 

"Really?"

 

"Yes, but we don't know if the smaller numbers in other ethnicities are due to fewer occurrences, or those occurrences simply not being recorded..." Dr. Yang sighs. "This is where medical knowledge gets tangled with socio-cultural history, which is a whole other topic I won't bore you with..."

 

From her tone Roman can sense that it's far less an issue of boredom than it is the risk of losing faith in humanity altogether, but he appreciates the gesture.

 

"Anyway, the biggest scientific question is what triggers the mutation that turns you from a potential carrier into a carrier," the doctor continues. "As you can imagine, we've never been able to observe an individual as that transformation is taking place inside his body--it's always after they find themselves pregnant."

 

Hunter leans forward a little in his seat. "When someone says 'mutation', I think of--I don't know,  superheroes...not 'growing a womb',"

 

"As a scientist, that would be my Holy Grail..." Dr. Yang says. "To actually observe that process taking place, and to know its specific triggers and phases. Alas, the best I can offer you right now are the theories."

 

Roman exhales deeply. "Okay."

 

"Some believe that the trigger is the introduction of the partner's genetic material--yes, that means what you think it means," she adds as she catches the look in Roman's eye. "This is the compatibility theory--that it requires compatibility on a genetic level for the process to begin. And while the process itself has never been observed, most doctors working in the field agree that it would not happen overnight--the complexity of the transformation is something that would take months, maybe years to fully develop."

 

Roman looks over at Hunter before looking back towards Dr. Yang. "So that would explain why it took this long to happen?"

 

"If this theory were someday proven true, yes."

 

"But...you'd think I'd have _felt_ something," Roman says. "The change happening inside me--especially given our jobs, where we need to be aware of what's going on physically, like, at all times."

 

"But you _did_ feel something..." Dr. Yang says. "Last year, when you got sick."

 

"That was a viral infection," Hunter says.

 

"Which he took longer to recover from than the other affected people, if I read from the files..." Dr. Yang says. "Most of my patienst describe fever-like symptoms and swollen glands in the months preceding their pregnancy. It's possible that these are the outward signs of the final stage of the transformation, and in your case...it just happened to coincide with the viral infection."

 

Roman thinks back to those weeks, barely able to get out of bed, annoyed with himself for having caught the virus and for not shaking it off as quickly as some of his colleagues. He wondered back then if something else had been wrong with him, but as the illness subsided and he went back to work, those concerns had been forgotten.

 

"Genetic compatibility sounds like a long shot..." Hunter says. "I mean, what are the odds?"

 

"Hard to say, since we haven't even begun researching what part of your genetic material, for example, could have triggered the change in him," Dr. Yang shakes her head. "Is it the same set of genes for everyone? Is it specific to him as an individual? I'm afraid I don't have those answers for you..."

 

"You said there were a few prevailing theories..." Roman says. "What's the other one?"

 

"Ah, well this one often gets dismissed for being a bit new-agey and whatnot, but in a field where so little is known, I believe it deserves consideration," Dr. Yang folds her hands over her knees. "You've been together for years, yes?"

 

"Um...yes," Roman looks over at Hunter. "Almost four."

 

"And--forgive me for asking this, and feel free to not answer if you don't want to--" Dr. Yang holds up a hand. "At which point did you decide that this was a serious relationship you wanted to pursue? Was it immediately?"

 

Roman and Hunter look each other, consulting silently as to how best to answer, until Roman gives a small nod of his head.

 

"Not immediately, no..." Hunter answers, one hand reaching across the couch furtively to squeeze Roman's hand. "We...well, I know we can't claim to be young and stupid, but it took us a while."

 

"Two years," Roman supplies with a wistful smile.

 

"Again, I'm only asking so I can better explain this theory in context..." Dr. Yang says. "The hormone theory--considered by some to be an add-on to the compatibility theory, while others believe it can stand on its own...and some refuse altogether."

 

"We're all ears, Doc..." Hunter says.

 

"You're familiar with the basic concepts of chemicals affecting your moods as well as your bodily functions, yes? Serotonins, endorphins, adrenaline, and the like?" Dr. Yang begins.

 

Both Roman and Hunter nod in unison.

 

"Well, the theory is that the transformation is triggered by the body responding to a specific balance of those chemicals within your system--a certain state of happiness, shall we say, or contentment..." she opens her hands. "...such as when you found yourself in a relationship that you were happy to be in."

 

Roman tries to process all this--he knows the doctor is keeping her explanations as simple as she can manage to help them grasp the basics, but even then it leaves him feeling overwhelmed.

 

"I don't know, Doc..." Hunter says. "From what Dr. Kirkland told us, he gets a lot of patients who come in scared and alone--and without any kind of support system. Didn't sound like they were in happy relationships to me."

 

"Sadly very true," Dr. Yang says. "I don't like to pry too much into the lives of my patients, especially those have enough to be dealing with already, but I suppose it's possible that they were happy up to the moment they found out they were expecting..."

 

Roman squeezes Hunter's fingers a little harder. "That's even worse..."

 

"You can see why this theory has its detractors..." Dr. Yang says.

 

"And where do you stand on these theories?" Hunter asks.

 

"I cannot say," Dr. Yang sighs. "Neither have sufficient research to prove or disprove anything--if we had more data, more case studies, more avenues of testing..." she trails off for a moment, but quickly recomposes herself. "In any case, which theory I subscribe to is ultimately irrelevant to my primary job--to help you get through this pregnancy and deliver your baby safely."

 

Roman smiles weakly. "Thanks, Doc..."

 

"Call me Elise," she says as she smiles back. "We'll be seeing a whole lot more of each other in the coming months, and this whole 'doc' thing can get tedious, not to mention confusing as you'll be dealing with other doctors as well...especially as we get closer to your delivery."

 

Roman feels himself tense up again. "Yeah, about that..."

 

"We didn't really--" Hunter interjects. "With Dr. Kirkland--we didn't get into the specifics, we were still in quite a bit of shock back then..."

 

"I understand..." Elise assures them. "Well, it's quite straightforward. You will require a c-section."

 

Roman blinks. "Uhm...so it doesnt--you know..."

 

"Research done on prehistoric remains believed to be that of male carriers has suggested that at one time, they were able to deliver naturally--though it's inconclusive without soft tissue evidence," Elise explains. "Unfortunately, evolution seems to have done away with that ability. Probably when the human population became robust enough in numbers that it was no longer necessary for survival of the species that both sexes are able to carry offspring."

 

_Which is a neat way of saying, no, you're not having a baby through your ass, you fool._

Roman has to smile at the thought. "That's...quite a relief, actually."

 

"You've had experience with women giving birth, I assume?"

 

"Nieces and nephews, mostly..." Roman says with a wince. "My cousin nearly clawed her husband's eyes out with how much pain she was in..."

 

"Yeah, we're chickenshit by comparison," Hunter chuckles. "So...surgery, huh?"

 

"Yes," Elise says as she consults her notepad. "Sometime in August, if all goes well."

 

 _August_.

 

For Roman, August has always meant sweltering heat and SummerSlam, driving between cities with the air conditioning on and Seth's mixtapes blaring from the rental car's stereo, Dean making off with as much ice as he can stuff into his soda cups, and watching the Florida sun cast long evening shadows out the window of Hunter's apartment.

 

Hunter seems to catch the faraway look in his eyes and squeezes his hand again to get his attention. "Hey...it's still some months away. Let's take it one thing at a time, okay?"

 

Roman nods, turning back to the doctor--Elise. "What--what comes now?"

 

"We'll have your blood results tomorrow--if everything seems normal, we'll schedule another appointment in a weeks' time. Meanwhile, I can give you this--" Elise pulls out a small tin from her bag, setting it on the table in front of Roman. "Ginger candy. Works wonders for morning sickness--the women in my family all swear by it."

 

Roman grins. "Thanks, Elise."

 

"I...hope all that information wasn't too much for you. I know it's quite a lot to take in," she says as she starts gathering her folders and notes. "If you have any questions at all, before we meet again next week, feel free to contact me."

 

"Thank you," Hunter says as he shakes her hand and stands up to show her towards the door.

 

 

\---

 

_Are you coming over tomorrow? I just want to know that you're okay, hon. -Mom_

\---

 

 

"Isn't this something you should be asking the doctor about?"

 

"I didn't want to ask in front of Roman..." Hunter says into the phone. "I could call her, but it's kinda late and I feel like we've taken up enough of her time today."

 

Across the line, he can hear Nicola sigh. She's been nothing short of a godsend for him the past week, arranging everything on such short notice and scrambling around to get his scheduling conflicts ironed out so he can be home with Roman. Throughout the years of being Hunter's assistant, they've reached a place where Hunter knows he can trust her with his secrets and she knows she can be quite brutally honest with him.

 

"Well, I suppose I could look up Florida state laws for you, but I don't think you'll be able to sign any medical forms on his behalf, not unless you two are...you know..."

 

"Yes, I guessed as much..." Hunter sighs. "So when the time comes and he needs his procedure, if he's somehow unable to sign for it himself--"

 

"--you'll need a signature from his next of kin. Your best bet would be his parents for now," Nicola finishes for him. "How's that part coming along, anyway?"

 

"We're going to see them tomorrow," Hunter says. "I don't know who's more scared, me or him."

 

"You knocked up the son of one of the Wild Samoans, Boss..." Nicola deadpans. "Do you want me to have your medical insurance files ready?"

 

"Very funny, Nic..." Hunter says. "Just keep my schedule clear for the rest of the week--at least outside of NXT."

 

"Ms. McMahon's been trying to reach you..."

 

"I know, I've just got nothing I can discuss with her yet at this point..." Hunter rubs his face wearily. "I should have something for her once I talk to Roman about it."

 

"I can keep 'em off your back for a while longer, boss...but not forever. Especially on the internal side of things," Nicola says. "He's got a lot of people worrying about him."

 

"I know, Nic...I appreciate the effort, really." Hunter sighs. "Thanks."

 

 

\----

 

 

 

 

When Hunter climbs into their bed that night, Roman's still awake, though just barely, looking up at him with sleepy eyes as Hunter turns down the bedside lights to their dimmest setting.

 

Hunter smiles at him, dips his head a little to kiss Roman's stomach just above his navel. There's nothing there yet to suggest a bump, just the familiar warmth of Roman's skin, though Dr. Yang assures them that they should start seeing the visible growth within weeks.

 

"Didn't have to stay up waiting for me..." Hunter says.

 

"Mmmh..." Roman mumbles as he scoots closer, tucking his head into the crook of Hunter's shoulder. "Who was that on the phone?"

 

"Nicola," Hunter says. "I just needed her to...take care of some things for me. Scheduling, mostly."

 

"You can't stay here with me forever..."

 

"Says who?"

 

Roman chuckles and pushes at his chest lightly. "Look, not that I'm not grateful for the company or anything, but realistically...you gotta go back to work some time, no?"

 

Hunter drags his nose across Roman's forehead. "Yeah...provided your dad doesn't kill me tomorrow."

 

Roman quirks an eyebrow at him. "You still think that's a possibility?"

 

"I've seen the network special. You've got a nice big backyard, not to mention the literal fucking ocean just a few steps away..." Hunter deadpans. "Plenty of space to hide my body."

 

Roman laughs and tugs at Hunter's lower lip with his teeth. "Shall we make tonight special, then?" he asks, putting on an over-dramatic timbre into his voice. "If it's to be our last night together?"

 

Hunter snorts but kisses him anyway, tasting toothpaste and faint trace of ginger--must be those candies Elise left them. Roman's dinner had been meager by his standards but he's managing to keep it down so far, so Hunter counts that as a blessing. Some part of him wants to be sensible and tell Roman to sleep, save his energy for tomorrow, but another--and greater--part of him wants be all over his precious, pregnant lover, make the most of this little bubble of privacy they've been afforded before it inevitably bursts.

 

The way Roman's grinding against him, though, it's clear which part of Hunter he's appealing to.

 

"Did we skip a phase?" Hunter asks as he nips at Roman's throat. "Did you go straight from morning sickness to uncontrollable libido, bypassing strange cravings?"

 

"Fuck if I know..." Roman says as he fumbles with the waistband of Hunter's boxers. "I could be hurling all over again tomorrow morning, but right now, I feel fine, and I want _this_." he says, palming at Hunter's dick with insistent fingers.

 

"Just that?" Hunter asks playfully. "Not the rest of me?"

 

Roman scowls at him. "You know what I mean..."

 

"Oh, I don't know, baby...I have a good guess, but maybe it's better if you show it to me?"

 

Roman rolls his eyes slightly, but he does move them around, maneuvering until he's on top of Hunter, ass rubbing suggestively against Hunter's crotch, right over the damp spot that's rapidly forming across the fabric of his boxers. Hunter smiles up at him and keeps his hands on Roman's waist, following his rhythm as he grinds slowly.

 

Roman didn't start out loving this position so much--he still likes it best when Hunter's on top of him, pounding him into whatever surface they've decided to fuck on, but of course he obediently rides Hunter's dick anytime Hunter asks him to, and occasionally--like he's doing now--he seems to want it on his own accord. He doesn't feel any heavier yet, just the familiar weight of him settling on top of Hunter's body, but Hunter knows that will change soon, and for a long moment he loses himself in the fantasy of what's to come--Roman's swelling body, even plumper and juicier than he already is, swaying heavily on top of him, belly taut and round with life, chest full and heaving--just the thought of it makes him inhale sharply.

 

"Don't get ahead of yourself..." Roman chides him, as if reading his mind.

 

"Sorry, baby..." Hunter grins, helping Roman out of his sweatpants and kicking the discarded fabric off the bed. "You have my full attention."

 

"I'd better," Roman says as he reaches behind himself, grabbing Hunter's dick with his hands, rubbing the head along the crack of his ass. "I wanna be full of something else of yours..."

 

 _God damn,_ Hunter ought to be proud of himself--four years of talking up a storm of filth in Roman's ears has evidently rubbed off on Roman, just like four years of fucking him has paid off with the little surprise that's growing inside of him. It's not quite pride that fills up Hunter's lungs when he draws in a breath, though--there's some of it, sure, but more than that it's an intense feeling of gratitude, that they've come this far together and for all his past missteps and flaws of character, this beautiful and trusting creature is still _his_ , still aching for his dick even as his whole body's adapting to carrying Hunter's baby inside him.

 

"Fuck, you're beautiful..." he remarks as he lubes up his fingers and starts prepping Roman's hole.

 

"Mmm...you only say that to get into my pants," Roman says playfully, leaning down and letting his curtai of dark hair fall on either side Hunter's face.

 

"Your pants? Baby boy, I've gotten in your _womb_..." Hunter chuckles as he twists his fingers, causing Roman to squirm deliciously on top of him. "Maybe you shouldn't even be wearing pants around the house anymore, huh? Seems inconvenient if all I'm ever gonna do is take them off you."

 

"And you're all about convenience," Roman says as he grinds down on Hunter's fingers, hooking his fingers around the back of Hunter's neck. "Let's see how...uh, convenient I make it for you when I'm the size of a fucking whale and you can't even breathe when I'm on top of you like this..."

 

"Now who's getting ahead of himself?" Hunter smirks and withdraws his fingers, lifting Roman slightly off his body. "Come on, time to let Daddy in that hole..."

 

Roman sinks down on his cock like a glove, still tight but also familiar and snug, not stopping until Hunter's all the way inside, balls rubbing along Roman's ass. He gives himself a few moments to adjust before making a few small, rocking movements, as if testing the fit of Hunter inside him, and whether he can take him deeper still.

 

"Doing okay there, baby?"

 

Roman leans forward, bracketing Hunter's face with his arms. "You can make it better,"

 

"Indeed I can," Hunter says as he grabs at Roman's hips and starts moving them.

 

It's a slow, langurous fuck--he doesn't want to do anything too strenuous on account of Roman's condition--though he knows Roman will kill him if he ever catches a whiff of Hunter considering him as 'delicate'. It's just relaxed and pleasureable, their mouths exchanging wet kisses and Roman doing that thing where he clenches around Hunter to urge him to go faster without actually saying it--all the while trying to make it seem like the clench is unintentional.

 

He hasn't quite figured that one out yet, but Hunter's gonna let him keep trying.

 

Roman steadies himself with one hand on the headboard while the other reaches down to find his own dick, stroking it lazily as he arches his back into Hunter's movements. On any other night, Hunter might swat his hand away, wanting Roman to leave his own pleasure to Hunter's care, but right now he'll allow Roman to finish himself off any way he pleases--from the look of it, it's not gonna take much longer.

 

Roman comes with a long, drawn-out whine that sounds like half of it gets caught in his throat--it's a pure and unguarded noise, produced from somewhere deep inside his body, and it's like music to Hunter's ears. He welcomes the slump of Roman's body onto his own, kisses his hair and his sweaty temples as he chases his own climax, holding Roman tightly as he spills into that tight, familiar heat.

 

They hold each other as the heat around them dissipates and their skin cools against the damp sheets, Hunter pulling out gently and passing his palm over Roman's stomach. "No complaints from the resident?"

 

Roman snorts. "I'm pretty sure babies are designed to be well-cushioned against their parents'....uh, activities."

 

"Aren't we lucky, then..." Hunter says, reaching behind himself to set the alarm on his phone. "Let's see if it holds for tomorrow."

 

"Wear your nice shoes," Roman says even as he yawns against Hunter's chest. "You know...for when they find your body in my parents' backyard. For easier identification."

 

"I'm glad you're being so thoughtful about my inevitable demise," Hunter says dryly. "Good night, baby."

 

"Night..."

 

\---

 

The following morning's episode is thankfully mild, Roman needing only one trip to the bathroom for a spell of dry heaving, and an hour later he's well enough to sit down for a sizeable breakfast of toast and slices of fruit -- most of them out-of-season and frozen, but what the hey. Hunter suspects it's more nerves than anything else that's keeping Roman's appetite in check this morning, he knows this because he feels very much the same way.

 

"You're absolutely sure about driving all the way to Pensacola?" Hunter asks for the umpteenth time this week alone.

 

"Yeah..." Roman says, for the umpteenth time also. "I can't...I can't handle planes at the moment. Not the motion, not the...people."

 

Hunter sighs as he stares at their packed bags. It's a day trip more than anything else, but one for which the preparation has suddenly become more fraught and thought-through. Roman's medication and vitamins are in its own little caddy, along with the ginger candies from Elise. His medical files are in a folder in Hunter's briefcase in case they need to go to a hospital along the way. There's extra bottles of water in the car, a few vomit bags, map markers for all the rest stops and nearby medical facilities along their route.

 

Most of it he doesn't even tell Roman about--he knows it will annoy him, the extent of Hunter's preparations, as if Roman's going to shatter into shards of glass at the merest impact, but Hunter can't help it--it feels like he's doing _something_ , at least, something apart from just holding Roman's hair back when he has to deal with his bouts of morning sickness, something more significant in the grander scheme of Roman's body apparently having decided that it loved Hunter's seed enough to want to bear its fruit.

 

"We should go, then..." he says instead, setting his coffee mug down on the table and grabbing for the car keys. "Get an early start."

 

"We'll switch halfway," Roman says, making it clear that it's not up for discussion, and Hunter nods, quelling the instinctive flare of objection inside him.

 

 

\----

 

_Dean, sorry bout keeping u in the dark. I needed to sort some things out for myself first before telling anyone. I'll call u tomorrow. Promise._

\----

 

The sun is barely up over the horizon when they start their long drive, and there's a sizeable stretch of silence where the only sound is the beep of the GPS on the dashboard and the occasional rustling of the seatbelts as one of them adjusts their seats.

 

It's not until they're well into the interstate free way that Hunter finally realizes it, sudden and stupid, and he laughs.

 

Roman looks over. "What's so funny?"

 

Hunter shakes his head. "We've never done this before."

 

"Done what?"

 

"This..." Hunter says. "Driving. From city to city, like we're traveling from one show to the next. You've done it a thousand times over, so have I...but never with each other."

 

"Oh..." Roman blinks. "Yeah."

 

"So I don't even know your road habits, what music you usually play, which brand of gas station potato chips you prefer, you know...all those little things you pick up about your road buddies."

 

Roman chuckles. "Jesus, I've never even seen you stop for gas, or fill up a tank. Like, do you know how it's done?"

 

Hunter shoots him a look. "It's not like I take the jet _everywhere_ , you know...or that the drivers don't get days off."

 

Roman stretches himself out a little, adjusting the incline of his seat. "Well...if you must know, I never get to pick the music in the car. Seth has his own playlist--you know, all that screamy stuff. Dean prefers to tune into whatever local radio station we happen to pick up, especially if it's late night, and listen to all the random batshit stuff that goes on air at those hours."

 

"I have a playlist," Hunter says.

 

"I bet you do. Motorhead and Metallica," Roman flashes him the sign of the horns. "Total metal dad stuff,"

 

"Hey..." Hunter chides him. "I'm allowed. I'm about to become a dad."

 

Roman's expression softens, smiling from the passenger seat. "Yeah...you are."

 

 

\----

 

They switch sides about an hour out from Pensacola, and Roman turns off the GPS. Hunter observes him from the passenger side of the car, the familiarity of the surroundings coupled with the mounting tension he can detect in Roman's demeanor.

 

"You okay to do this?" he asks quietly.

 

"We've driven all the way here..." Roman says with a sigh. "Doesn't make sense to turn back now."

 

They've talked about this so many times over the last few days -- in the quiet after-dinner lulls, in bed before they fall asleep. They've hyper-detailed the plans almost like laying out a wrestling match. What to say. What to do. How to react if things play out one way or the other. Hunter knows they're doing it to convince themselves that they've got a solid plan, when in fact neither of them knew what the outcome would be, how they would actually handle it on the day.

 

His stomach does a little turn when Roman whispers, "we're almost there..." and turns into a quiet driveway lined with houses, gray-white stucco and slanted roofs, modestly-sized front yards. He has a sudden flash of Roman as a boy, playing out here on the street, probably with the Uso twins, catching footballs or doing play wrestling, imitating the moves they saw on TV just like they weren't supposed to.

 

Roman parks the car a few steps away from his parents' front yard, and turns off the engine.

 

"Hunter..."

 

"I know, baby."

 

"It's not..." Roman sighs. "I'm not scared. Not really,"

 

"Good," Hunter reaches over to squeeze his hand. "Then you can be brave for both of us, because I'm scared shitless."

 

Roman chuckles nervously. "Look, they're not going to be like, angry or anything. My gut tells me they won't. But it's just...it's a shock. It's gonna be a shock."

 

"Yeah...much like it was for us," Hunter says. "Still kinda is. So are we going through with our plan?"

 

"Yeah..." Roman unbuckles his seatbelt. "I'll go in first, and then...I'll let you know when they're ready to meet you."

 

"You're sure?"

 

"Yup," Roman says. "Now kiss me good luck and kick me out of this car before I change my mind..."

 

Hunter leans in and kisses him, feeling Roman's lips shiver slightly against his, and watches as he lets himself out of the car, shutting the door behind him.

 

 

\---

 

Roman barely makes it to the top step of the front porch before the door swings open and he sees his mother standing there, causing his heart to jump even as he smiles. "Hi, Mom..."

 

"There you are..." she says as she runs up to embrace him.

 

She smells the same way she did when she used to tuck him into bed as a child, a soft and mildly floral perfume, soft-skin that's slightly age-worn, wispy strands of hair against his face. He can feel her checking him over as they hug, running her hands over his body, as if looking for any signs of injury.

 

"Mom..." he says as he pulls back. "I'm okay. I'm not hurt or anything."

 

"Then why couldn't you tell us what was going on? Why'd they make that announcement... like something was wrong with you?" she asks. "What happened, hon?"

 

Roman swallows the uneasy lump in his throat. "Can we...can we go inside? Is Dad here?"

 

"Yes, we've been waiting for you all morning..." she says.

 

"Then let's go inside," Roman says. "I'll tell you everything...I promise."

 

\---

 

Hunter watches Roman and his mother, arms around each other as they disappear into the house, and leans back into his seat and lets out a deep breath.

 

He'd wanted to be with Roman all the way, walking up those steps and coming face to face with his parents as Roman broke the news, but Roman had insisted on doing it this way, on having some time with his family first before he brought Hunter into the conversation.

 

In the end, Hunter knew he had to respect Roman's wishes, as much as it makes him anxious to be waiting out here in the car for the signal to go in. He doesn't know how long he's gonna have to wait--has no idea how things are proceeding in there, has no clue what kind of situation he'll be walking into when he does.

 

He thinks of what he's going to say--wonders what they'll ask him, wonders if they'll even want to see him at all. On one hand, it seems silly for him to be nervous--a man of his age, trembling like a highschool boy about to meet his date's parents on prom night, checking himself in the mirror to make sure he's presentable.

 

He's wearing his nice shoes, just like Roman asked, a dark suit and no tie, tapping his fingers against the dashboard as he stares out into the mostly-empty street, trying to quell the nerves fluttering in his stomach.

 

Deep down, he knows Roman's parents will be supportive of their son--he's their beloved boy, after all, their youngest child, and once the shock has worn off he's pretty sure they'll be delighted at the prospect of having a grandchild from him.

 

How they'll respond to Hunter being the father, though, is something else entirely.

 

Hunter's not sure where his stock lies with the extended Anoa'i-Fatu clan, having wrestled so many of them throughout his career and not really been close to any of them save for Roman. And while he doesn't think he's ever been an out-an-out asshole to any of them, well...he can't remember putting any of them over, either.

 

He might have been given a few squashes against Roman's brother, Rosey, which he hopes to heck they're not gonna hold against him.

 

 _What a day to have things like that finally catch up with you_.

 

He's almost startled when his phone buzzes, the clock showing that it's been almost fifteen minutes since Roman went inside. He checks the message, and reads it very carefully.

 

_They want to see you._

Hunter lets out a long, deliberate exhale, pocketing his phone as he exits the car and closes the door behind him. The pavement crunches slightly under his feet as he walks up the driveway towards the front porch, feeling a slight breeze in the air.

 

Roman is the one who opens the front door for him, a tight and nervous smile on his lips, which doesn't do Hunter's nerves any good, and he braces himself as he steps through the threshold of the home, Roman closing the door behind them with a click.

 

When was the last time he was in a family home of any sort? He finds himself looking around--at framed pictures on the wall, at the odd collection of objects on shelves from dusty magazines to porcelain figurines to unlit candles.

 

Hunter follows Roman to the living room, a short walk of only several steps, and the first thing he sees when he walks in is the unmistakeable form of Sika Anoa'i, standing in the middle of the room, an imposing figure even decades past retirement, grey-whiskered and stern-faced, though he does extend his hand towards Hunter.

 

Hunter shakes it, feeling the old man's firm grip as he nods his greeting, before turning to Roman's mother, whose gaze upon him is inquiring and perhaps a little apprehensive.

 

"Thanks...for having me here," he says.

 

"Have a seat, please..." Sika motions him towards the couch, while he settles himself on the large armchair.

 

Hunter does, and Roman sits next to him, his body language all but unreadable, while his mother excuses herself to fetch something from the kitchen.

 

"I...take it Roman's given you the news," Hunter starts, hands clasped awkwardly over his knees.

 

Sika nods, his eyes fixed on Hunter. Hunter does his best to hold that gaze, trying to project the same calm and control he does during board meetings or conference calls whenever he's had to go up and talk about some challenging issues. This isn't a board meeting, though. This is the father of the man whose life he's irrevocably affected, for better or for worse.

 

"If I may..." he starts again. "I just want to assure you that I intend to stand by Roman through all of this, whatever he decides to do moving forward..."

 

Sika makes a grunting noise in his throat, and Roman squirms a little, which makes Hunter feel very tense all of a sudden.

 

"He...he has my full support," Hunter tries to continue. "I want to make sure that he's taken care of, that he's--"

 

"Stop," Sika holds up one hand, lifting his arm ever so slightly off the armrest.

 

Hunter holds his breath, hoping the way his heart is thundering inside his chest isn't audible across the room.

 

"Who is talking?" Sika asks him, and Hunter can only blink in confusion.

 

"S-sir?"

 

"Is it you talking? Or the company talking?" Sika asks again. "You sound like the company."

 

Hunter swallows hard, casting a glance over at Roman, who's sunk into the couch with his eyes on the floor.

 

"The company always say they will look after our boys..." Sika continues. "Sometimes they do, sometimes they don't."

 

 _Oh boy,_ Hunter thinks.

 

Roman's mother returns with a few glasses of water balanced on a tray, and sets them down in front of each of them. She takes the seat next to Sika, looking at Hunter almost expectantly.

 

"I understand," Hunter nods, clasping his fingers together and leaning forward a little. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to come off sounding like I prepared some kind of corporate speech for you, that was inappropriate considering--"

 

"You're the father," Lisa Anoa'i cuts him off. "You're the father of his child."

 

"Yes, ma'am..." Hunter nods. "I am."

 

"And you've been...Roman says you've been together...all these years?"

 

"Almost four years," Roman supplies.

 

"She didn't ask you, son...she asked _him,_ " Sika says, quietly yet firmly, and Roman seems to shrink further into the couch, his shoulders hunched in tension.

 

Hunter takes a deep breath, before turning to face Roman's parents again. "Sir, what I'm about to tell you now isn't the company talking, or the person you see on TV. I'm going to be as honest as I possibly can, and whatever opinions you may have of me after that, I'll accept it," he says.

 

Sika gives him a curt little nod, motioning him to continue.

 

"Your son and I...we didn't start this out thinking we'd be together this long, that we'd find ourselves in this situation--we didn't even know it was possible," Hunter starts. "I got to know him over the course of working with him, I grew to care about him...and eventually to love him."

 

He can hear Roman inhale sharply next to him, and instinctively Hunter reaches over to take one of Roman's hands, grasping it tight in his fingers.

 

"What you've seen of me, or heard of me over the years, might not fit your idea of who deserves to be at his side..." he says. "...but I've never been more sure of my feelings than I am now, saying this to you."

 

Roman squeezes his hand, shuffling a little closer to him.

 

"I didn't think I could love him more than I already did, but hearing this news...finding out that he's--he's carrying my child, I can't think of anything that'll make me happier," Hunter says. "...except maybe your blessing."

 

For a while, Sika says nothing, letting the uneasy silence hang in the air until he finally leans forward a little, regarding Hunter with a serious look.

 

"Does the big man know? Vince?"

 

"Yes," Hunter says. "I told him myself."

 

"They all say...they say my boy there, that Vince likes him, because he makes the money, sells the seats, the shirts..." Sika says. "What's going to happen when he stops doing that?"

 

"I don't know, Sir..." Hunter says truthfully. "I've worked with Vince for decades now, and I wish I knew how to anticipate his whims--but I still don't."

 

"You married his daughter,"

 

Hunter nods slowly. "I did..."

 

"Why?"

 

Hunter tries to ignore the way Roman is squirming next to him as he struggles to answer. "I...we did love each other, once. Stephanie and I. It made sense to us, what we were doing. It made us...stronger."

 

"And put you in good position," Sika added.

 

"It did," Hunter says--there's really no point denying it.

 

"Our boy can't give you any of that," Lisa pipes in. "There's nothing for you to gain...from him. As big as he'll ever get, he's just part of the business like everyone else in the family...like his cousins, his brother."

 

Hunter sighs when he realizes the direction the conversation is going. "I know, ma'am."

 

"You're the next big man in the company, right?" Sika asks him. "When he's gone, it's going to be you...you put yourself in that place."

 

"Dad..." Roman tries to interject, but Hunter shakes his head quietly at him.

 

"My boy, he has enough people coming after him these days..." Sika continues. "When people find out he's with you, what will they think? What will they say?"

 

"They will think and say whatever they damn well please," Hunter says. "And they will say things about me too, no doubt...but I'm going to take that risk, Sir. I'm not going to abandon your son, or his-- _our_ child, no matter how difficult things get."

 

"Even if you risk losing where you stand with the company now?" Lisa asks quietly.

 

"Yes," Hunter says, putting as much firmness into his voice as possible. "Even if I lose everything else."

 

"We've already lost one son..." Sika says, his voice cracking slightly as Roman's fingers tremble in Hunter's hand.

 

"You're not about to lose another..." Hunter tells them. "I will do everything I can to keep him safe."

 

He hears Roman sniffle as Sika leans back in his armchair, eyes darting up to the ceiling before casting his gaze back down, this time at Roman.

 

"You love this man, son?"

 

"I do, Dad..." Roman says quietly.

 

"You trust him?"

 

"Yes..."

 

"With your life? With your baby's life?"

 

"Yes," Roman answers firmly.

 

Sika exchanges a look with his wife, who nods at him slowly. Then the old man rises off his armchair to stand, extending his hand to Hunter again. A little dumbfounded, Hunter stands up and takes the hand, feeling Sika's strong fingers clasp firmly around his, his other hand coming to rest on top of Hunter's wrist.

 

"Let me know when you find out if it's boy or girl..." he says. "I will think of names."

 

With that, he walks out of the living room, pausing to pat Roman on the shoulder. Hunter, still bewildered about what just happened, watches as Lisa approaches Roman and gives him a hug, Roman looking more relieved than anything else.

 

"He's probably heading out to the back porch to think..." Lisa says. "I'll go check on him. You should drink that water, you look like you need it."

 

"Thanks, Mom..." Roman mutters quietly as his mother leaves the room too, leaving the two of them there.

 

"Uh..." Hunter says. "Is...is everything okay?"

 

Roman gives him a little smile. "You're still alive, aren't you?"

 

"Yeah, but..." Hunter sags back down into the couch, his knees suddenly feeling like jelly. "I don't quite know what to make of it."

 

"He wants to name our baby," Roman says as he sits down next to Hunter. "I think that means you have his blessing."

 

"You sure?"

 

"He's my _Dad_ , Hunter...I think I know him well enough to say that." Roman assures him. "You really do need to drink that water."

 

Hunter does, realizing how dry and parched his throat has gotten, and how his hand shakes slightly as he holds the glass. Setting it back down on the low table, he turns to look at Roman again.

 

"How...how'd I do?"

 

Roman doesn't answer immediately, reaching over to link one of his arm through Hunter's and resting his chin on Hunter's shoulder. "I didn't think I could love you more, either..." he whispers.

 

Hunter smiles shakily, still trying to work off the last of his nerves. "I meant everything I said. You know that, right?"

 

"I do..." Roman says.

 

In the silence that follows, Hunter takes in the view of the living room around him, the framed pictures and mementos, the accumulation of human memory in a house that's seen generations of the same family pass through its doors.

 

He recognizes one picture in particular, Sika during his younger days as one of the Wild Samoans, standing next to Hulk Hogan, who's holding a young boy in his arms. A young boy he realizes seconds later is Roman, aged perhaps no more than three or four, wide-eyed and dark-haired, looking so small next to the two large men.

 

"You remember when that was taken?"

 

Roman shakes his head. "No...Dad tells me it's after a house show near here, when we all came out to see him and Uncle Afa wrestle. I don't remember any of it."

 

Aside from the childhood photos that Hunter's seen before--used in Network specials and video montages--there's a wealth of visual memory here that traces the family's journey, especially those of the children. He's struck by one photo showing Roman as a toddler, in the arms of his older brother Matt, already a burly young man with a smile that was so uncannily like Roman's own.

 

"I always forget how much older he was than you..." Hunter remarks. "Rosey, I mean. He was about my age, wasn't he?"

 

"He was fifteen when I was born," Roman says. "I was twenty when I first saw him wrestle against you,"

 

Hunter chuckles uneasily. "I'm sure I didn't leave a good impression on you then..."

 

Roman shrugs. "I kinda knew how the business worked...I certainly wasn't expecting you to put him over."

 

Hunter turns his head to brush his nose along Roman's forehead, whispering softly, "Do you want to go see him? We could extend our trip a little..."

 

Roman shakes his head quietly. "I see Matt all the time," he says. "In my dreams, when I'm scanning faces in the crowd--sometimes I still see him."

 

Hunter doesn't quite know how to respond to that, so he keeps quiet, letting the moments pass as Roman breathes gently against his neck, his hand resting on Roman's knee.

 

"Hon?" they're interrupted by Lisa's voice. "Your father wants to see you..."

 

Roman disentangles himself from Hunter and stands up, squeezing his shoulder once before walking out of the living room. Hunter watches him leave, followed by a few moments of awkward silence as he sits there looking at Roman's mom, who's leaning against the doorway to the living room.

 

"How are you holding up?" she asks unexpectedly.

 

"Me?" Hunter says. "I'm...I'm doing fine, all things considered...it's all still very new for us, so we're both adjusting...it's him I'm more concerned about."

 

"You have doctors?"

 

"The best we can find on the subject," Hunter says.

 

"I can't imagine there's very many of them," she says as she strides over and takes the seat Roman vacated, next to him on the couch. "His case is...rare."

 

"So we've been told," Hunter says. "I...I can't say I understand the science of it. We're lucky that there's a specialist based in Orlando, she'll be looking after him for most of the process."

 

"Good, good..." she nods. "You realize his father wasn't trying to make things difficult for you, right?"

 

Hunter chuckles nervously. "I certainly wasn't expecting him to make it easy..."

 

"He's our...only son, now," Lisa says. "We just want what's best for him,"

 

"As do I," Hunter says. "I'm very sorry for your loss, Mrs. Anoa'i...I never got a chance to express that personally to your family when it happened."

 

"Thank you," she says.

 

"Matthew and I weren't close, but we did share some ringtime together," Hunter continues. "He was a great guy. Everyone liked him--and I know Roman adored him."

 

"Matt was so happy when we gave him a baby brother, you know--" Lisa says wistfully. "Played with him, helped me take care of him, even more than his sisters did."

 

Hunter casts his glance towards the photograph again, the one with Matt holding Roman as a toddler. He can see from the look on the older one's face, the love he has for the small child he's holding.

 

"I wonder if Roman ever told his brother about you..." Lisa says. "You know, while he was alive."

 

"I...don't think so," Hunter says. "We've been quite private about it--even within the company, there's only a handful of people who knows."

 

"Do you think you can keep it that way?" she asks tentatively.

 

"I...we're doing that for now," Hunter tells her. "Roman hasn't decided on what we'll do moving forward--I've had to make a lot of people sign a lot of non-disclosures in the last week alone, just to keep things quiet until he decides."

 

"That can't be easy--" Lisa shakes her head. "I always hear people say things, you know--about him winning or losing, or being given this belt or that belt, sometimes before anything even happens."

 

"It's generally harder to keep secrets these days," Hunter agrees. "Especially if it involves someone with his profile."

 

"But you're going to try?"

 

"If that's what Roman wants, yes..." Hunter assures her.

 

"And what do _you_ want?"

 

Hunter sighs, taking in the entire tableau in front of him once more, the visual scrapbook of Roman's life as a child, in this house, surrounded by his family, the football trophies and homemade Halloween costumes, the backyard birthday parties and highschool diplomas.

 

"I want to make him happy," he says finally. "See our child born safe, to give us a home."

 

"A family," Lisa says, a word which Hunter lets echo in his head, sitting on that old musty sofa, his eyes cast down onto the worn carpet where he's sure Roman must have taken his first steps as a baby.

 

 

\---

 

 

They stay for lunch, a mostly pleasant though still mildly-awkward affair consisting of Lisa fussing over Roman for not eating enough, and Sika telling one story or another to Hunter about the old days of the company during his time in the active roster. They don't discuss the pregnancy any further, save for a brief exchange where Lisa questions her son about whether certain foods were on his "off" list.

 

There's still residual tension of some sort hanging in the air, like a thin fabric stretched translucent over the dining table, causing Hunter to sit a little straighter in his chair than is perhaps required, the conversation passing in clipped sentences punctuated by the clatter of cutlery.

 

Hunter figures it's probably as good as an outcome as he could expect--like them, Roman's parents are probably still trying to process the whole thing, still in denial in some tiny shred of their minds, while wholeheartedly concerned for their son's well-being.

 

He senses their eyes on him, when he's staring down at the food on his plate, like they're assessing him, still, wondering what sort of father he would be, how well would he suit their son.

 

It's fine, Hunter tells himself, at least he's not buried in the backyard with his nice shoes.

 

They say their goodbyes around two in the afternoon, Roman hugging his mom for a long time, a few muffled whispers between them that Hunter doesn't try to make out, and Sika clasps him across the back with an arm that's still so formidably strong it almost knocks the air of Hunter's lungs.

 

At Hunter's request, Roman drives around the city a little bit, showing him some places like his old highschool, the field where he used to play baseball as a kid, the strip of sandy beach where the family would have summer picnics--they're a bit windswept and deserted in the winter afternoon, but Hunter can imagine how it looks like when the hot sun is blazing down and every square inch of sand is full of families and their children.

 

They turn towards the freeway to start the long drive back to Orlando, and Roman is uncharacteristically quiet, which Hunter notices when he turns off the radio after giving up on trying to find any local radio station that's playing music that's not threatening to make his ears bleed with electronic beats and autotune.

 

"You okay, baby?" he asks softly.

 

"M'fine, just..." Roman shrugs. "Been a long day."

 

"You wanna switch?"

 

"No, I'm good," Roman insists. "We'll switch at the halfway mark, just like we planned."

 

"Okay," Hunter relents.

 

For a while, he focuses on his phone--answering messages that have been neglected, trying to maintain some semblance of keeping up with his professional responsibilites even with all that's been happening.

 

There's a text from Nicola which reads, _How'd it go?_

Hunter replies with _Still alive. Driving back to Orlando now._

She replies with, _NXT producers asking if you can come to Winter Park tomorrow for a production meeting. Was supposed to happen last week._

Hunter sighs, throws a quick glance over at Roman before replying, _Sure. Make it in the afternoon._

_Ok. I'll arrange and let you know._

"Work stuff?" Roman asks as Hunter puts his phone back into his pocket.

 

"Yeah..." Hunter says. "I need to be at Full Sail tomorrow afternoon for a meeting."

 

Roman shrugs his shoulders nonchalantly. "Well...you do have to go back to work eventually."

 

Hunter lets his gaze wander over Roman, at his features in the bleak gray afternoon sunlight as he drives, the firm set of his jaw and the barely-concealed uncertainty in his big, dark eyes.

 

"What did your father say to you?" he asks. "You know, when he asked to see you alone?"

 

Roman inhales sharply, then--unexpectedly--breaks into a nervous laughter, his shoulders rippling as he grips the steering wheel.

 

"What's so funny?"

 

"No, it's just..." Roman shakes his head, trying to regain composure. "It's silly. You'll think it's silly."

 

"What?"

 

Roman shuffles a little in the driver's seat. "He asked me if I'm going to marry you."

 

Hunter blinks, dumbfounded, not sure if he heard correctly. "Uh..."

 

"Yeah, I know, right? It's silly, its--" Roman shakes his head. "Forget I said anything."

 

"Why did he ask you that?"

 

"God, I don't know--fucking traditionalist at heart, most probably..." Roman says, a nervous edge to his voice. "He said 'but you can do these things now, can you' and 'are you going to take his name', and stuff like that, and I just...I didn't know what to say."

 

Hunter chews on his bottom lip as he stares out onto the road before them. "It's not...well, it's not impossible, technically we could--"

 

" _Technically?_ " Roman's tone rises considerably. "What, like just for the sake of paperwork? Fuck, are we really having this conversation?"

 

"Shit, baby, calm down, okay?" Hunter says, reaching over to lay a hand on Roman's shoulder. "Look, I shouldn't have said it like that--I know it's nothing we ever talked about before..."

 

"Where's the nearest stop?" Roman asks.

 

Hunter reacts as if on autopilot, checking his GPS. "Two, maybe three miles ahead?"

 

"Good," Roman says through gritted teeth. "I am so _not_ talking about this while I'm driving."

 

\---

 

They don't talk as Roman pulls them over into the next gas station, filling up the tank while Hunter runs into the small convenience store to try to find something warm. He emerges with two paper cups of steaming tea--generic brand tea bags, nothing fancy, and finds that Roman's parked the car near the area with the small children's playground and picnic tables, and he's standing in front of the car leaning against the hood, staring at the traffic whizzing past.

 

Roman takes the tea and sips at it quietly, before holding the cup in his hands while his finger toys idly with the string connecting the tea bag. Hunter watches him quietly, waiting until he was ready to speak.

 

"There's something else we've never done..." Roman starts. "Apart from driving together."

 

"What is it?"

 

Roman looks over at him and smiles wistfully. "Making plans."

 

Hunter sighs and nods his head, sidling up next to Roman. The hood of the car is still warm, transerring some of its heat through the layers of their clothes and into their bodies.

 

"All these years, I never..." Roman continues. "With you, it's always been about now, today, maybe tomorrow, maybe next week or next month. When's the next time we can find a gap to stay home for a couple of days, when's the next overlap between your traveling schedule and the shows..."

 

"Yeah," Hunter agrees as he sips at his own tea.

 

"I've never allowed myself to think I could look--years ahead, you know? I always thought..." he stops for a moment. "Don't take this the wrong way, but I always thought it was going to end, somewhere down the line."

 

Hunter breathes over the tightness in his chest. It stings a little, but he can't deny the truth in it--he's never offered Roman any kind of permanence, too scared to promise something he's not sure he'll be able to keep.

 

"I mean, I knew I loved you--and that you felt the same, and that was enough," Roman says. "I didn't want to think about where or how it would end--but I also didn't let myself think it would go anywhere."

 

Hunter circles an arm around Roman's waist, tugging him closer. "It was enough for me, too--I never really thought that far ahead, either."

 

"But now...this," Roman looks down, hand passing over his stomach. "Suddenly, everything's a fucking long game, like I'm having to think of things playing out years down the line, and it's--it's a bit much, to be honest..."

 

Hunter sighs. "Is that why you've been putting off telling anybody else? Why you haven't decided how you want the company to act on your behalf?"

 

Roman nods slowly. "I feel...I feel like everything I decide now, what makes sense now, what seems like a no-brainer now, I have to think that I'm not just deciding for _me_. I'm deciding for us, for...for Nugget, too...and I'm just so fucking scared that I might fuck this whole thing up."

 

"Baby..."

 

"And you," Roman turns to him. "You've been trying to be all strong and stoic and keeping your shit together since we found out--not that I don't appreciate it, but I know you far too well now and I know you're freaking out just as much as I am."

 

Hunter sighs wearily. "I felt like I needed to be...you know, not in a constant state of panic, for your sake."

 

Roman reaches over and squeezes one of Hunter's knees. "Like I said, I appreciate what you're trying to do, but...just be real with me, okay? I don't like feeling like you're--I don't know, amassing a private army in the background when I'm not looking."

 

Hunter chuckles. "Nothing quite _that_ extreme, but..."

 

"But what?"

 

Hunter holds Roman's gaze, leaning a little closer. "Yesterday, after Dr. Yang left, I kept thinking about what you're gonna have to go through--the surgery, I mean..."

 

"Says the man who told me 'it's still months down the line'..." Roman mutters.

 

"Yeah, I know..." Hunter says. "Nicola mentioned that I might not be able to sign any forms on your behalf, you know--not legally."

 

Roman's breath hitches a little. "Unless you're recognized as my legal partner--like if we're married,"

 

"Yeah," Hunter says as he leans his forehead against Roman. "When you mentioned that your father brought it up, my head just went straight there--it just _did_ , baby. I know it's so much more complicated than just who gets to sign the forms, but..."

 

Roman sighs against his skin, his breath a gust of warmth in the increasingly-chilly air. "See what I mean? We've been getting by on just thinking of the next show, the next city, the next hotel for so many years, and all of a sudden..." he waves his arm in some kind of helpless gesture. "It's too much, Hunter. It's just--too damn much."

 

Hunter pulls him closer and kisses his forehead gently, his arm tight around Roman's shoulders. "Okay...let's start with the fixed points. What do we know for sure?"

 

Roman sniffs a little. "That we're in love and we're having a baby together."

 

"That's a good place to start, isn't it?" Hunter smiles at him. "What next?"

 

Roman closes his eyes. "This whole thing...for the longest time it's just been about us. Right? Just us. Okay, so a handful of people close to us also know, so fucking what. But ever since--ever since we found out, we've had to tell so many other people, out of necessity, I know, but so many..."

 

Hunter nods, waiting for him to continue.

 

"Why...why can't it just be about us, still?" Roman's question is almost a plea. "This isn't something I want to share with the rest of the world, Hunter...not Nugget, not even--not even _you_. Or _us_ , I should say."

 

Roman sets a palm over his stomach, thumb rubbing circles around the material of his jacket. "I want to disappear," he says quietly, so quiet that Hunter almost doesn't hear it.

 

"Roman..."

 

"No, hear me out..." Roman says. "We didn't reveal the reason behind my absence in that initial statement, right? Nothing beyond some vague notion of a medical emergency."

 

Hunter nods.

 

"What if...what if we just leave it at that? No further updates, no further news, nobody has any information whatsoever. And those who know can just...just say they're not legally alowed to discuss it, or whatever."

 

There's something so painfully hopeful in Roman's eyes as he says it that it makes Hunter's chest clench. "Roman...just because we don't give out further information, doesn't mean--"

 

"I know what's going to happen," Roman cuts him off. "Rumors. Speculation. Some theory posted to reddit about me being guilty of some horrendous crime and the company trying to cover it up, or me being abducted aliens, or me being--I don't know, fucking _dead_ or something."

 

"Roman..."

 

"I don't care, Hunter..." Roman says insistently. "They can have their theories. Let them have a field day. I want to be somewhere away, staying quiet, just being--" he pauses. "--just being pregnant, and waiting for our baby to arrive."

 

Hunter exhales sharply, pulling Roman even closer into his embrace. "Baby, you know that sounds so good to me, and I'll turn this world upside down making that happen for you, but you gotta think carefully about this, okay?"

 

"I have--"

 

"It's a long, long, time to disappear, Roman--seven more months until the birth, and quite possibly a whole year after that," Hunter tries to reason with him. "Imagine secluding yourself for that long. You could go insane,"

 

"You've severely underestimated my loner tendencies," Roman says with a faint chuckle. "No, but seriously...we're not talking about living like a hermit in the woods or in some cave. Just--staying out of the public eye, laying low, like I've been doing this last week."

 

"Still, it's a very long stretch of time, Roman..." Hunter says.

 

"Look, we both know I won't be able to wrestle for that timeframe anyway..." Roman says. "Why not just be out of the picture altogether? I'm sure our audience will be more than happy to not see my face every week."

 

"Don't say that," Hunter says warningly. "You know you've got people out there who genuinely support you, and they'll be hounding us day and night demanding to know what happened to you..."

 

"I...I'm not trying to be an asshole here, just--" Roman takes a deep breath and reaches for Hunter's face, stroking his hand down one rough cheek. "Look, for the past few years I've been caught up in this...this fucked up in-between bullshit between what the company's trying to present me as and what the audience thinks of me...the pendulum keeps swinging one way or another, but I'm never..." he stutters a little, struggling to find the words. "I'm never just _me_ , right?"

 

Hunter nods understandingly. "I know..."

 

"Maybe this way...I can finally just be myself again," Roman says. "Whoever that is."

 

Hunter quirks an eyebrow at him. "You're not...you don't know?"

 

Roman shrugs. "I've spent the last six years under the spotlight. I've had people analyze my every gesture, my every step, judging me on how I hold my title belts, how I execute a move, how I breathe, how I pick my own goddamn nose," he hisses out. "Things I say during interviews or meet and greets have been picked apart by smarks and twisted into whatever serves their purpose..."

 

"Roman..."

 

"What comes out of my mouth during the shows, what gets posted to my social media, what gear I wear, _fuck_...even what color my eyes were at one point? It's always somebody else deciding it for me," Roman tugs on Hunter's collar firmly. "Not anymore. I'm deciding for myself this time."

 

Someting swells in Hunter's chest, something akin to pride shot through with trepidation. He can sense that Roman's dead set on this course of action--or _non-action_ , as it were, and that he's counting on Hunter to support him through it.

 

"I...I know usually it's you who decides things for me, for us..." Roman says a little timidly.

 

"What? No, no, baby...this is different," Hunter assures him. "This is something else entirely. I'm not gonna make any decisions about _this_ without you."

 

Roman smiles, thin and laced with relief. "Thank you..."

 

"If this is what you want, how you wanna go about it? Fuck, I'll make sure it happens," Hunter says firmly. "Even if it _does_ mean I need to assemble a private army on your behalf,"

 

Roman laughs, his first genuine laugh in what seems like ages, flinging his arms around Hunter's neck and pressing their lips together. The gas station parking lot is deserted, though Hunter honestly couldn't care less if anyone were to see or recognize them. He kisses Roman, one hand tight around him while the other struggles not to spill the rapidly-cooling tea in his hand.

 

"Let's go home, Daddy..." Roman whispers against his lips. "I need more than just a weak-ass cup of tea to keep me warm."

 

 

\----

 

 

Hunter's just finished brushing his teeth and is getting ready for bed when he notices that Roman's not in the bedroom. He finds Roman standing by the doorway to the smaller room where Hunter has his mini gym set up, leaning on the doorframe in a pair of old sweatpants and one of Hunter's old merch t-shirts that's gone threadbare and soft to the touch.

 

Hunter smiles and slips in behind Roman, placing a large hand over his hip. "What're you thinking, baby boy?"

 

Roman smiles and places his hand over Hunter's. "I know I said thinking too far head is too much for me, but...think this'll do for a nursery?"

 

Hunter looks around the room, now crowded with gym equipment and lit by a harsh strip of neon overhead. It's a little on the small side, for sure, but he tries to picture it with all the equipment thrown out, maybe a fresh coat of paint, softer lighting, some storage units, maybe even a crib. It's a vision that makes his head spin-- _too much_ , just like Roman said, but there's something appealing in it, as well.

 

"It'll do for a start," he says, kissing the side of Roman's neck. "We'll make it work."

 

_Just like with everything else._

Roman smiles as if he's heard that last part out loud, then pulls Hunter back towards their own bedroom.

 

"We'll need a baby monitor," he says as he lies back on the bed, beckoning Hunter to get on top of him. "Or maybe Nugget can sleep here with us, for the first few months..."

 

Hunter starts a line of kisses from Roman's hairline, down the bridge of his nose, hovering over his mouth. "Sounds like a plan."

 

"Do you think we'll need to baby-proof anything?" Roman asks as they strip off layers of clothing--what little of them there are.

 

"I think we're good--maybe just socket covers," Hunter says as he dips his head to mouth at the hollow of Roman's throat.

 

Roman laughs, caressing the back of Hunter's neck with his fingers. "You already sound like a father..."

 

"Good, 'cause I intend to be one," Hunter says as he kisses over Roman's navel. "You hear that, Nugget?"

 

Roman smacks his shoulder playfully. "Save the cooing to the baby until _after_ we have sex, please..."

 

Hunter grins, pulling Roman's thighs apart. "Sorry...I'll put my mouth to better use."

 

Roman's reduced to a litany of unintelligible whimpers as Hunter eats him out, being slow and deliberate with it, licking around his rim before poking his tongue inside. They're both a bit tired and worn out from the day's long drive but still eager for the intimacy, and Hunter can feel Roman's entire body rippling when he introduces a finger into the mix.

 

Between his tongue and his digits, he manages to make Roman come just like that, without even touching his dick, watching as Roman sputters against his own stomach with his eyes screwed shut and his lips bitten, fingers dug into the sheets on either side of his head.

 

He stares at Hunter through hazy, half-lidded eyes as Hunter climbs up over him, lining his dick up with that wet hole and sinking inside in one go, one elbow resting next to Roman's head.

 

They trade warm, wet kisses as Hunter fucks him, not too bothered about pace or rhythm, just reveling in the feeling of Roman's tight hole around his dick, how hot and snug and welcoming he feels, with Roman's hand tracing patterns on his chest.

 

Roman's in an undemanding mood, content to let Hunter take his sweet time while he stares up dreamily at him, the glimmer of trust in his eyes just as potent as it had been the first time Hunter had taken him to bed, a young man with a ponytail and a bruised back. It's that unwavering look that's anchored Hunter all these years, that he always longs to come back to, that occupies his mind whenever he's had to be away.

 

Roman's right--whatever they once _were_ , their day-to-day existence, their live-in-the-now mindset when it came to their relationship--all of that changed the night they found out Roman was pregnant. Everything since then has been one huge loop of adjustment, an ongoing process. And for Hunter, the stakes have been raised too--the look in Sika Anoa'i's eyes when he spoke of having already lost one son made it very clear that this was not a task he could afford to fail.

 

 _Even if I lose everything else_.

 

He sinks his teeth into Roman's throat when he comes, drawing a gasp from the man underneath him, and Hunter licks and kisses around the fresh bruise almost apologetically as he comes down from his climax, Roman's fingers running up and down his spine.

 

"Hunter?" Roman asks faintly around five minutes later, when they're both close to falling asleep with Roman's head on his chest.

 

"Yeah?"

 

"If...if it's a boy..." Roman says tentatively. "I want to name him Matthew."

 

Hunter smiles even though Roman can't see it, squeezing Roman's shoulders tightly. "I'm sure your father will be happy with that choice."

 

 _Matthew_.


	4. An Author's Dilemma

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Please read and comment if you can as that would be very helpful to me.

Dear readers,

I'm sure we are all aware by now of the situation regarding Joe Anoa'i (Roman Reigns) and his returning leukemia, which has resulted in him relinquishing the Universal Championship and taking time off WWE to be with his family and do whatever he needs to get better and beat this awful disease once again.

At times like these, title belts and kayfabe and wrestling angles cease to matter. All that matters is this man, this wonderful human being who has given us so much (and God willing, will give us so much more yet in the future) and that he needs to focus on his health and his family. I know that each of us hold him dearly in our hearts and continue to send all the positive vibes in the world to him, and pray for him--for those of us who are people of faith.

What I now struggle with is the question of do I continue to write stories concerning Roman Reigns, with all that has transpired in the last few days?

My first gut reaction is to say: no, that would be in poor taste and utterly insensitive, especially concerning the sort of material I write, which for the most part is sexually explicit in nature.

My secondary reaction was to think this: 

I started writing fanfiction as a means of escaping reality. My own, which is so often dreary, and the WWE reality which has so often been frustrating and incomprehensible that the only coping mechanism I have is to write copious amounts of words where things get course-corrected or at least tempered with wish-fulfillment fantasies. And I know from reading my comments section every chapter that a lot of you feel the same way, and I am always humbled whenever someone tells me that the senseless yarns I spin have made their days better, or just a bit more bearable.

I want to continue to have that coping mechanism, and to provide that small inkling of joy for other people.

But should I?

This story, in particular, was concocted as an AU because the reality of WWE (which is tackled within Orbitverse) got too depressing and too deflating to deal with. This story was meant as a complete fantasy retcon, with a happy ending that I have planned so, so far into the future. This story was meant to be about an alternate reality in which Roman Reigns and Triple H discover they're about to become a family, and all the joy and challenges that brings. It is the mother of all fantasy bookings, spilling from a brain that never stops fantasizing.

It's meant to be an escape pod, a happy place, a protected little bubble.

But does that justify continuing to write it, knowing what I know now about Joe Anoa'i's condition? Knowing that despite never referring to him by that name, I have referenced his family?

I don't know, and I am sincerely asking your opinions.

Let's make one thing clear: Joe's real-life battle with leukemia has no place in my stories. It will never be referenced, alluded to, mentioned in any kind of way. None of the stuff I write was ever meant to be about Joe or Paul. Yes, I know it's tricky because I don't write in kayfabe, but it was still about Roman and Hunter. A Roman who never married and had children, a Hunter who is estranged (or in this story's case, divorced) from Stephanie. In that sense, even Orbitverse is an AU.

But I could try to explain or rationalize or justify and mull on this for weeks and I may never find the answer, and I want to know what you guys think, if you have time to leave your opinion in the comments below.

None of this fucking matters in the light of the reality of what Joe is dealing with, I know that perfectly, but it would help me to get different perspectives on the matter, and decide on my next course of action.

Any input you can give me will be welcomed.

 

-valmontheights-


	5. Chapter 5

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks to everyone who left comments at the last chapter. Your opinions and thoughts on the matter have convinced me that yes, we need a form of escapism more than ever now, and fic is just one such avenue through which we may find some kind of solace. To that end, please bear with me if the ensuing chapters seem to double-down on the tooth-rotting fluff, though I suspect most of you won't object to that too much. :)

 

 

 

_\- Dean, you got time to talk?_

_\- About to go in for physical therapy session. Call u after this?_

_\- Okay._

_\- U ready to tell me what's going on?_

_\- Yeah._

_\- Lemme send you something._

_\- attachment_USG012318_AX350M37E_03.jpg_

\----

 

"What the actual fucking _fuck_ , Ro?"

 

With a sigh, Roman puts his phone on speaker and lets it rest on his chest as he reclines back on the mound of cushions he's built for himself on the living room couch.

 

"I had a feeling you'd say that..."

 

"Is this...is this for real?"

 

"I'm starting to come to terms with the fact that yes, it is."

 

"Hold on, hold on, lemme find somewhere a bit more private..."

 

There's a bit of shuffling at the end of the line, the sound of doors being opened and closed, and finally Roman hears Dean exhale loudly.

 

"Okay, okay, talk to me..."

 

"I...don't know what else there is to say, to be honest..." Roman says.

 

"How?" Dean sounds incredulous. "I mean, I know it's possible, but never thought you--well, you can't know these things in advance, can you?"

 

"The doctor tells me that's the million-dollar question right there," Roman says. "I do have family history...or so I've been told, never heard the full details, but the genes are there...evidently."

 

"Are you...are you okay?" Dean asks. "You don't sound okay."

 

"Morning sickness is a bitch," Roman mutters, closing his eyes. "I've been puking my guts out since sunrise."

 

"Jesus," Dean says.

 

"It comes and goes, some days it's not so bad..." Roman says, wincing at another curl of nausea roiling about his stomach. "This is not one of those days."

 

Dean heaves another long, heavy sigh. "Fuck, Ro...when I heard they took you off the roster, I thought it was something really bad...and Seth wouldn't tell me anything, the little shit..."

 

"Seth signed an NDA the night we found out--he was there with me," Roman explains. "You should expect a similar document sent to you soon."

 

"No wonder they wouldn't say anything about your condition," Dean says. "For what it's worth, though? I'm glad you're not injured or anything, but still, it's...it's a shocker."

 

"Tell me about it," Roman says as he rearranges one of the cushions behind his back. "Shoulda seen me that night, Deano...I was a wreck."

 

"...and how about your babydaddy? How's he holding up?"

 

"Marginally better--though I suspect he's putting up a brave front for my sake more than anything else."

 

"Is he there?"

 

"He's in Stamford," Roman sighs. "He's been there for a couple of days now--there was a lot of stuff he put off in the first weeks after we found out, but he had to go back to work eventually."

 

"Jeez, so you're alone in Orlando right now?"

 

"Not exactly alone..." Roman smiles a little, palming his stomach. "I'm fine, Deano...I got my specialist on speed-dial, a tin of ginger candies, lots of cushions and Netflix. I should be good until he gets back."

 

"And when will that be?"

 

"Uh...sometime next week? He's got to be backstage for the RAW taping, and then back to Stamford for a couple more days..."

 

"Okay..." Dean sounds to be mulling over his thoughts. "Um...would it be weird if I came by and paid you a visit? I got fuck all to do ove here..."

 

"What about your therapy?"

 

"Wouldn't have to miss a session if I just come there for a couple of days," Dean reasons. "I ain't seen you in a while, man..."

 

"Then come over," Roman says. "I'll ask Hunter, but I'm sure he'll be cool with it."

 

"Great -- lemme go get myself a flight. See you soon, Big Dog."

 

\--- 

> **_February Rumor Roundup: Roman Reigns back for Elimination Chamber?_ **
> 
> _CageSideSeats.com_
> 
>  
> 
> _With no official explanation as to the 'medical condition' that saw him sit out the Royal Rumble, now there's rumors going around that Roman Reigns may be a surprise entrant for this year's Elimination Chamber PPV, with the winner set to take on Brock Lesnar for the Universal Championship at Wrestlemania 34._
> 
> _Insider sources report that there have been many 'management-level meetings' about Reigns in the last two weeks since his rather abrupt removal from the active roster, and many are speculating that this is an effort to 'stay on course' with the narrative of crowning him as Universal Champion at 'Mania._
> 
> _Since we never had any further explanation as to Reigns' alleged injury or its severity, take this information with a huge grain of salt, but the Elimination Chamber is the only avenue left to name a legitimate contender for Lesnar's title and it makes sense to insert Reigns back into the title picture at that event._
> 
> _This is the WWE, though, so what 'makes sense' may be precisely what doesn't end up happening._

\---

 

Hunter allows himself a small chuckle as he slides the tablet back to the young woman sitting across his desk from him.

 

"Did we feed any of these rumors to them?"

 

"Not to my knowledge, Sir..." the young woman says. "But I'd say this follows the patterns of how they usually do stories pretty closely. Someone picks up on something from a 'source', and the rest of the websites run with it."

 

Hunter studies the woman seated across from him for a while. Before her recent reassignment to his personal office, Jane Takahashi had spent two years within WWE's Media Monitoring department, sending him periodical reports laced with jargon he always felt about twenty years too old interpret.

 

In person, she keeps her demeanor formal and a little uptight -- understandable since this is their first face-to-face meeting and she's yet to attain the same ease of being around him as someone like Nicola, who's been on his personal staff for years.

 

"Has there been any indication, however small, that they've caught on to the truth?"

 

"No, sir..." Jane shakes her head. "If you ask me, the--uh, truth of what's really going on is beyond their usual realm of speculation. A performer's prolonged and unexplained absence will stir up rumors, sure, but they'll gravitate towards injury, or suspension, or some kind of backstage intrigue."

 

"Same old, same old, then..." Hunter sighs.

 

"Right now, they're grasping at straws--" Jane points out. "The only thing they can put out is something that fits the narrative they _believe_ is what's going on..."

 

"...that we still intend to make Roman Reigns a champion by Wrestlemania," Hunter finishes for her.

 

"Yes."

 

"So, that's the dirt sheets and the websites covered," Hunter folds his arms over his desk. "What about the general chatter? Message boards? Social media?"

 

Jane winces a little, shuffling in her seat. "You sure you wanna know?"

 

Hunter chuckles lightly. "Give me the gist of it."

 

"Well, we've been monitoring all platforms since the announcement was made...a lot of it is just confusion. Some are accusing the company of not being transparent the way we usually are with injuries and the like, and thus they suspect we're covering something up."

 

"Oh boy," Hunter exhales. "I can just imagine..."

 

"You have every theory ranging from Roman Reigns being unhappy with his booking and walking out after RAW 25, to the company covering up another wellness policy violation, to...well, some are speculating about him being released for not bringing in the desired business."

 

Hunter snorts. "That boy brings in more revenue for us than others will ever give him credit for...and the suggestion that he's ever unhappy enough with anything to actually walk out on us is preposterous."

 

"I'm not saying any of it makes any lick of sense or logic, Sir..." Jane shrugs. "...but that's social media chatter for you."

 

"I can't believe you spent three years monitoring that muck, Jane..." Hunter says sympathetically.

 

Jane merely smiles thinly. "I do Thai boxing three nights a week--gets some of it out of my system."

 

"Good," Hunter says. "We could all use an outlet from time to time."

 

"Sir, if I may ask..." Jane leans forward a little. "When Ms. McMahon informed me of my new assignment, of course I was happy for the opportunity, but...I'm not sure how I'm supposed to assist you."

 

"Oh?"

 

"You see, the whole point of Media Monitoring is gathering data, yes...but it's data that's supposed to be used to formulate some kind of response."

 

"Yes, I understand that part."

 

"But...according to what you've shared with me, the company policy on this matter is to not respond for the time being," Jane says. "To keep this thing under wraps as much as possible."

 

"That was Roman's wish," Hunter tells her.

 

"I get that, Sir... but I don't understand how I'm supposed to be of help in that case,"

 

Hunter leans forward, setting his elbows on the desk. "I'm going to tell you something that's not included in the NDA you signed, Jane...something which might help you grasp the situation better. I trust that you'll keep this information to yourself."

 

"Of course, Sir..."

 

"The child that Roman's carrying..." Hunter says quietly. "It's mine."

 

For a few seconds, Jane does nothing but blink at him, processing the information as her mouth opens slightly. "I...I see, Sir."

 

"So if I seem to be taking this very personally, that's because it _is_ personal. You know just as well as I do, what's gonna happen if anyone out there catches wind of this...before either of us is ready to reveal it," Hunter says. "I know most of it is just people hiding behind a username and a keyboard, but you just never know what people are capable of these days..."

 

Jane leans back in her chair a little bit, as if still absorbing the magnitude of the revelation.

 

"This isn't about his popularity, Jane...this is about his protection." Hunter says. "And I need help doing that--not just from the rest of the roster and management, but also people like you."

 

"I understand, Sir..." she says finally. "I'll make sure to flag anything that's cause for concern."

 

"Thank you," Hunter says.

 

"Is this..." Jane starts tentatively. "Last year, after Survivor Series, when you asked me to look into the response to your actions versus him winning the Intercontinental Title...I didn't understand it at the time, sir...why you wanted to know whether one contributed to the other."

 

"And why I was so pleased when my antics got so much negative reaction?" Hunter smiles.

 

"I...I assumed it was something you were developing for your on-screen character," Jane says.

 

"Smoke and mirrors, Jane..." Hunter waved his hand around a bit. "Professionally, I was doing exactly that. Personally, I was trying to give him what little I could in terms of a buffer. I didn't want it to come off like the last time he won a title--from me, no less."

 

"I see,"

 

"Maybe it all seems a bit much to you--all this string-pulling on my end," Hunter says.

 

"I don't blame you, Sir--not after what you've just told me, not for those reasons," Jane says. "I'll do what I can to help you...and him."

 

"Thanks," Hunter says, breathing a quiet sigh of relief. "I have a feeling I'll need all the help I can get."

 

After Jane takes her leave, Nicola comes into his office with a folder containing his itinerary for the next few days and some paperwork he needs to sign.

 

"All good with Miss Media Monitoring?"

 

"Yeah..." Hunter says as he signs the documents. "She's on board. What did you think of her?"

 

Nicola shrugs. "Seems a decent gal to me--if a little uptight, could do to loosen up a bit,"

 

Hunter smiles up at her. "You weren't so relaxed when you first started working for me, Miss Perez..."

 

"That was before I realized what an utter sap you actually are," she chides him playfully as she collects the papers. "Speaking of which, Roman messaged me--asked if you could call him once you're done with your meeting."

 

"What, is something wrong? Is he okay?"

 

"I'm sure he just wanted to check in with you--he'd have told me if it was anything urgent," she says on the way out the door, before throwing him a smile. "You're gonna be one of those dads who never stop worrying, aren't you? I can tell already."

 

Hunter narrows his eyes at her, but Nicola merely giggles and closes the door behind her, and he quickly gets his phone out and dials Roman's number.

 

"Hello?"

 

"Hey, baby..." he says. "Nic said you wanted me to call?"

 

"Yeah, needed to ask you something..." Roman says. "I spoke to Dean this morning."

 

"Oh," Hunter says. "And how'd he take the news?"

 

"He's...shocked, which is to be expected,"

 

"He's not out for my blood or anything?"

 

Roman snorts. "I think he's over it by now, Hunter...anyway, he wants to come over and visit me--you know, keep me company while you're gone."

 

"As long as it doesn't interfere with his physical therapy schedule," Hunter says, then looks up at the wall-mounted screens on the wall of his office, showing him a direct feed from the cameras set up at the Performance Center down in Florida. "Oh, and ask him to check in at the PC at least once. If anyone catches wind of his presence in Florida, that'll be the cover."

 

"How thoughtful of you," Roman says.

 

"You wanted to disappear," Hunter says. "I'm orchestrating the biggest possible smokescreen this side of a Wrestlemania entrance."

 

Roman laughs, a bright and joyous noise that swells Hunter's chest with longing.

 

"How are you feeling today? Still sick?"

 

"It was pretty bad this morning," Roman says. "I was okay by mid-day though. I'm trying to get a decent meal in before evening."

 

"Good, good..." Hunter says. "We're seeing Elise again as soon as I get back. Nicola's made us an appointment."

 

"I can't wait--not for the hospital visit and all the shit with needles and machines, obviously..." Roman adds quickly. "But we'll see Nugget again..."

 

"Yeah," Hunter nods, even though Roman can't see it. "Yeah, we will.."

 

"Come home as soon as you can?"

 

Hunter bites his lower lip, trying to steady his voice. "I will, baby. I promise. I love you,"

 

"Love you too, Daddy..."

 

 

\---

 

The day that Dean is scheduled to arrive in Florida, Roman thankfully has one of his better days with his morning sickness, one that mercifully stayed within its 'morning' designation and didn't decide to overstay its welcome.

 

Dean shows up a little before noon, hair cut short and one arm in a sling, dragging a small suitcase behind him and pulling Roman into a hug before he even takes his sunglasses off. Dean smells like dingy airport lounges and stale coffee, like something Roman's missing and he didn't even know it.

 

"Hey, Big Dog..." Dean says as he pulls back, then casts his glance downwards. "...and Little Pup."

 

"Fuck off," Roman says, though his voice is fond. He pulls Dean into the apartment and closes the door.

 

"You're looking good..." Dean says. "...and you definitely sound better than you did on the phone,"

 

"This morning wasn't so bad," Roman explains, walking Dean into living room.

 

Dean glances around the apartment as he seats himself at the edge of the couch, watching as Roman situates himself on the opposite end, stretching his legs out over its length and arranging a few cushions behind himself.

 

"Lower back pain," he explains at Dean's questioning look. "I'm not sure if it's related to the baby or not--I don't feel like I'm carrying any extra weight yet."

 

Dean shrugs off his leather jacket and drapes it over the back of the couch. "But you do look...different. I don't know, man...something about you. Can't put my finger on it."

 

Roman scowls. "Ambrose, any mention of 'pregnant glow' from you and I swear I'm dropkicking you right off this fucking couch."

 

Dean laughs at that, patting Roman's knee casually. "Nah, Ro...I guess I'm just...getting used to the idea? I mean, took a while to sink in, even after we talked on the phone,"

 

"Took even longer for it to sink in for me," Roman says. "You know, sometimes I wake up and I think, did I just dream up the whole thing? And then the whole vomiting business kicks in and yep, I'm reminded just how real it all is."

 

Dean winces sympathetically. "What did your doctor say?"

 

"Hopefully it goes away by the second trimester, but she says it could stick around longer..." Roman sighs. "We're just going at it day by day I guess..."

 

"I don't see how else you could do it," Dean says, draping his good arm over the back of the couch. "So...this whole disappearing act you've decided to pull..."

 

"I'm just not ready to have the rest of the world know about this, Dean..." Roman says. "And I didn't want them to make up some bogus injury story for me, it just didn't feel right..."

 

"Hey, you ain't gotta justify it to me, Ro..." Dean assures him. "I got your back, however you wanna do it--I just can't imagine it's gonna be easy..."

 

"For once, I've given Hunter carte blanche to do whatever the fuck he needs to do, pull any strings he's got..." Roman says. "I don't even need to know the half of it."

 

"Nah, you got more important things to think about," Dean pokes gently at Roman's stomach, which so far has shown little sign of starting to round out, something Roman finds a little disappointing. "You know, I never did get to ask you how you actually felt about it..."

 

"Whaddya mean?"

 

"Like, you're happy about it, right?" Dean asks. "Both of you? I can't imagine you not being happy about something like this--you always did like kids, and you're always so good with them when we meet fans and stuff like that..."

 

Roman rubs his palm across his own stomach thoughtfully. "Yeah, I'm happy about it... but for the most part I'm...really, really scared."

 

"About the birth? About being a parent?"

 

"About everything," Roman says truthfully. "It's--look, about a month ago my job was to go out every night and put on a show and get cheered and booed and occasionally talk. I loved it, most importantly, I _knew_ it. It's something I've put years and years into and it's all become second nature. This..." he pauses to take a deep breath. "I know jackshit, Dean. Every day I have to figure out something new about my own body, about how my life is going to be after this, and it's...it's a lot."

 

Dean doesn't immediately respond, staring at his own arm in the medical sling. "Life, huh? Just when you thought you got everything figured out..."

 

"How's your recovery going, by the way?" Roman asks.

 

Dean sighs and shakes his head. "Slow. Tedious. Some days I feel like I'm making good progress, others I can barely move it."

 

"Still a long way to go?"

 

"They haven't given me a definite timeframe, said it's better not to get too focused on meeting a deadline," Dean shrugs. "But one of the doctors mentioned SummerSlam as a realistic goal."

 

Roman quirks an eyebrow at that. "Well, now...you should know that baby's supposed to arrive in August, too."

 

Dean visibly perks up at that. "Really?"

 

"Yeah--we haven't set a date for the surgery yet, but should be around SummerSlam,"

 

"Surgery? You're getting a c-section?"

 

"Baby's not coming out any other way, Dean..." Roman holds a hand up. "and that's all I'm willing to say on that matter."

 

Dean laughs and starts to tickle the bottom of Roman's feet, only stopping when Roman threatens to kick him in the nuts.

 

They spend the rest of the day talking about anything and everything that's not Roman's pregnancy or Dean's injury, reminiscing about their time on the road together, and Dean gets the idea to put on their old FCW match, the triple threat between the three future members of The Shield, with the tiny crowd and the warehouse setting and Roman's obnoxious old entrance music.

 

They order takeout and have a good laugh at their younger selves, at Roman's too-small trunks and Seth's scrawny build, at Dean's attempts to bait William Regal. There was already something _there_ , even then, in the three of them sharing a ring together, Roman remembers the feeling clearly, though he had no idea where it would eventually lead them.

 

"We were fucking hopeless..." Dean says as he shoves some fries into his mouth.

 

Roman's managed half a burger--his appetite is there, but the last thing he wants is to rush his way through this meal and give his digestive system a shock that'll turn it upside down in a few hours' time.

 

"Eh, I'd say we had potential," he sayass. "Must be a reason why they kept us around..."

 

"You and Seth were pretty--and I was crazy," Dean says.

 

Roman snorts. "Fuck you..."

 

Dean laughs and offers a handful of his fries to Roman. "Babydaddy not gonna be upset that we're eating junk and getting ketchup on his fancy carpet?"

 

"He'll be happy that I'm eating," Roman says casually as he chews on the fries straight off Dean's hand. "The carpet's washable. Besides, I think this apartment's about to become an even bigger mess in the near future..."

 

Dean looks around thoughtfully at Hunter's sparsely-decorated living room, the minimalist lines and off-white walls.

 

"This gonna be where baby lives?"

 

Roman shrugs. "Where else would we be?"

 

"I don't know, I thought you were gonna get a house, or something more suitable for a family..."

 

Roman's breath hitches a little, and Dean must have noticed the change in his expression because he quickly adds,

 

"Shit, that was too much, wasn't it? You ain't even looking that far ahead, yet..." he pats Roman's leg apologetically. "Sorry, Ro..."

 

"Nah, it's just..." Roman shakes his head. "We talked about it. But it's just one more big change on top of everything else. Everything's knocking about like loose pieces in my head right now, Dean...like nothing's bolted down. This place probably isn't the most ideal, but it's--"

 

"Home," Dean finishes for him, and smiles assuringly. "I get it."

 

 

\----

 

> _PWInsider.com_
> 
> _February 5th 2018_
> 
> **_Still No Roman Reigns Update as Elimination Chamber Looms_ **
> 
> _After abruptly pulling Roman Reigns from the Royal Rumble match that many believed he was a lock to win, WWE still hasn't offered any further explanation on the 'medical condition' that necessitated it, nor have they commented on when he will return._
> 
> _While pundits are still heavily betting on this whole thing being a work, it begs the question--a work towards what outcome, exactly? That Reigns is slated to become Universal Champion at Wrestlemania 34 is the industry's worst-kept secret, and the fact that he conveniently dropped the Intercontinental Championship to The Miz just days prior to the Rumble was a transparent move on WWE's part to propel that narrative forward._
> 
> _Since then, however, the Big Dog has simply gone off the radar, and no mention of him has been made in any WWE programming since. If this is a shoot and he's suffering from a legitimate injury, it's odd that we don't have any more details, nor were there any signs of this injury during Reigns' final match against The Miz._
> 
> _In any case, the lack of information is baffling._
> 
> _While some inside sources claim that there have been many 'closed-door' meetings as of late within WWE's top brass and creative teams, we're still not seeing anything play out where Reigns is concerned._
> 
> _With the Elimination Chamber only three weeks away, WWE is running out of time to push any convincing narrative for Reigns to be the No.1 Contender for Brock Lesnar's title, even if all of us already know that it's happening._
> 
> _Taking Reigns off the programming does nothing to help his cause in fighting off audience apathy, nor does it build a compelling case for him to be given another 'Mania Main Event after last year's so-so bout against The Undertaker._
> 
> _Whatever WWE has got planned for The Big Dog, they need to pull the trigger now._

\----

 

 

"So that's what's going down at Elimination Chamber, gentlemen..." Hunter says as he closes his laptop and regards the people in the small conference room. "Hayes and Dogg will update you on the exact match layout closer to the event, but Finn will be winning and taking on Brock at Wrestlemania."

 

They're gathered together after the latest RAW taping--the six men set to be involved in the Elimination Chamber match, Hunter, Michael Hayes, Road Dogg, with Nicola hovering close to the door clutching a stack of papers and two security people guarding outside.

 

Hunter takes in the looks on the faces of the wrestlers -- and he can practically breathe in the rising tension in the room. Apart from Seth, who's sitting near the back with his arms crossed and his eyes downcast, they all look to be in various degrees of disbelief and confusion. Finn, who's sitting closest to Hunter near the front of the room, is staring at him wide-eyed.

 

"I...not that I don't appreciate getting that rematch, Hunter...but I gotta ask what everybody's been asking," Finn begins.

 

"Where the hell is Roman?" Braun pipes up from the other side of the table. "What happened to him?"

 

"I've been getting questions from people asking me if I injured him that last match," The Miz chimes in. "I know for sure I _didn't_ , okay...so what's going on here? Why isn't anybody telling us anything?"

 

"Guys, guys...calm down," John Cena says from the back of the room, setting his hands on the conference room table before looking at Hunter. "Look, I trust you have good reason for keeping some information to yourselves, but we're all worried here, Hunter... he's a colleague and a friend for most of us. We just want to know that he's okay."

 

"He's as okay as he can possibly be," Hunter says.

 

"The hell's that supposed to mean?" Elias says. "I'm sorry, Boss...you tell me if we're out of line, but everyone and their grandma knows this was supposed to be _his_ match... leading up to 'Mania."

 

"Now, listen here..." Hayes started to speak up, but Hunter holds up a hand to stop him.

 

"Gentlemen, I assure you it was never our intent to cause you all this concern..." Hunter says. "The situation...necessitated us keeping things strictly confidential."

 

He exchanges a look with Seth, who merely shakes his head in an 'I don't know how you're gonna talk your way out of this one' gesture.

 

"He's going through something which will keep him out of action for quite some time," Hunter says. "But he's got the best people looking after him, and we're committed to his privacy for the time being--according to his wishes."

 

The gathered talent all exchange glances with one another, none of them looking too satisfied with the explanation--and who can blame them, really.

 

"No more questions?" Hayes asks. "If not, I think we're done here..."

 

The wrestlers file out of the room, Hunter avoiding their gazes as he leans back in his chair, twirling his phone in one hand, checking for any unread messages from Roman.

 

When he finds none, he realizes that Finn has lingered in the room, standing next to his chair.

 

"Hunter..." the Irishman starts. "I need to know."

 

Sighing heavily, Hunter looks past Finn to where Nicola is standing, motioning her to close the door. When it clicks shut, he gestures at Finn to take a seat in one of the chairs.

 

"Look, if Roman really wants to keep whatever's happened to him a secret, I'm okay with that... but you're putting me in his place, and I'm about to get thrown to Brock as a meal replacement--"

 

"Finn..."

 

"I know I've been owed this rematch for years, and I'm glad it's happening, but I also know I'm not going to be the one taking that belt off him--" Finn says. "If I'm to be the transitional fodder before Vince's actual pick for a champion gets back, then fine...but I want to know now."

 

Hunter sighs heavily, lacing his fingers together with his elbows on his knees. "Finn...I can't say whether or not you'll be winning at 'Mania. That hasn't been decided."

 

"Like heck it hasn't," Finn says incredulously. "Roman--"

 

"Even Roman winning it at 'Mania wasn't set in stone," Huntersays. "Trust me, Finn...whatever you hear, whatever direction everyone assumes we're going... anything can still happen."

 

Finn shakes his head. "Roman's not injured, is he? You'd have announced it if he was... nothing about this seems normal to me, even for this company's standards."

 

"It's not," Hunter agrees. "It's about as far from normal as you can imagine, Finn..."

 

"...and you're running about making sure the show goes on," Finn says. "You look tired."

 

"I've had...a lot on my plate these past few weeks," Hunter says.

 

Finn looks as if there's another question at the tip of his tongue, but he refrains. "Well, okay then..."

 

"Finn," Hunter reaches out to take Finn's left wrist. "I know you'd have preferred to get this title shot under different circumstances, but this is how it's played out--"

 

Finn smiles, patting Hunter's hand. "A title shot is a title shot, Hunter--a man knows to make the most out of any opportunity he's given, especially if you've been doing this as long as I have."

 

"Good man," Hunter returns the smile. "I'm sure you'll put on a good show."

 

After Finn excuses himself, Hunter is left in the room with Nicola, who passes him a bottle of water.

 

"Thanks, Nic..."

 

"He got one thing right -- you do look tired, Boss."

 

"It's not over yet, is it?"

 

"Our people at the airport just called to inform me the plane's been refueled and ready to us back to Stamford..." Nicola says. "You've got a board meeting tomorrow morning and Ms. McMahon's also asked for your time over lunch...after that, you're clear."

 

"Thank fucking God," Hunter says as he sags into his chair, taking a swig of water. "Any news from Florida?"

 

"I've made an appointment with Dr. Yang's office for your next checkup...your schedule should be lighter next week."

 

"Good," Hunter nods. "Okay, Nic...get the car and let's roll."

 

 

\---

 

 

Dean visits Roman again the next day, this time laden with some food that he picked up on his way back from the Performance Center. Roman mentioned the previous night that he's been watching YouTube videos of people traveling to Disney World resorts and eating all kinds of treats there, so Dean thoughtfully picked up some churros complete with chocolate dipping sauce and salted pretzels from downtown.

 

"Maybe you've entered the craving stage and you just don't know it yet..." Dean remarks jokingly as he sets the bounty of food down on the dining table. "Bet if Hunter was here, he'd send his people all the way down to the parks just to pick up the actual stuff for you."

 

Roman laughs as he bites into one loop of the pretzel, relishing the savory hit of garlic on his increasingly sensitive taste buds. He can imagine Hunter doing just that, though, complete with Nicola's knowing eyeroll as she jots down the orders.

 

Later in the afternoon, they do a FaceTime call with Seth -- who's just managed to get home after the RAW taping. Seth's dogs are yapping away in the background as Seth walks around his house with his phone in one hand and tripping over dog bowls and chew toys.

 

"You lookin' good, both of you..." Seth says as he settles himself on his couch with Kevin, his Yorkshire Terrier on his lap. "Wish I could be there."

 

"Eh, somebody's gotta carry the show in our absence..." Roman says. "How are things going over there?"

 

"Your man came down to speak to us last night after RAW," Seth says. "Those of us who are gonna be in the Chamber, that is..."

 

"Oh? And how'd that go?"

 

"A lot of questions, as you might expect..." Seth sighs. "They're putting Finn over on that one, so he's gonna take on Brock at 'Mania. At least that's where the plan stands at this point."

 

"Makes sense," Dean pipes in. "He's long overdue for that rematch."

 

"Yeah, try explaining that to a room full of guys who's convinced Roman was set to win it all," Seth says. "They're really confused right now, Ro...I got cornered by Braun straight after that meeting, he was convinced that I knew what was really going on...he's really worried about you."

 

Roman feels a pang of guilt at that -- while their on-screen feud was happening, he actually developed quite a friendship with Braun, who gave Roman a lot of credit for his own advancement in the company's ranks.

 

"What'd you tell him, then?"

 

"That I'm legally forbidden to say anything," Seth says. "What else? Mike's also not happy that some people are spreading rumors about how he injured you in that last match,"

 

"That's bullshit," Roman says. "They can watch that match back in slow-motion, nothing happened that would've caused me any injury."

 

"Yeah, well, the lack of information isn't helping the situation," Seth says. "Sorry, I know I shouldn't be bothering you with stuff like this. You got enough on your mind..."

 

"It's okay," Roman assures him. "I'm doing fine, Dean's here for a couple of days, we're eating tons of junk food, and Hunter should be back in the next few days..."

 

"Yeah, he looked like he couldn't wait to be done with us so he could go home," Seth says with a chuckle as he scratches behind Kevin's ear. "You got him totally whipped, Big Dog."

 

Roman scowls at his phone. "He practically fucked me into a state of genetic mutation, Seth--he'd _better_ be aching to come home."

 

Dean snorts at that, and Seth nearly drops his phone. "Jesus Christ, dude..."

 

"That was the gist of the doctor's explanation, anyway..." Roman shrugs, biting a sizable chunk of the churro he's got in his other hand.

 

"Glad to see your appetite's back...you were a mess the last time we saw each other," Seth comments.

 

"It comes and goes," Roman says. "I still get sick some mornings, but it's nowhere near as bad as that night,"

 

"Good, then..." Seth says. "Is baby showing yet? Can you show me?"

 

"Not yet," Dean says, patting Roman's abdomen playfully. "I checked. It's just Ro's usual chubby middle for the time being,"

 

Roman elbows him in the ribs. "You come into my house, and you insult my physique?"

 

"I'm also the one who bought you all this food and gave you backrubs, remember..." Dean says.

 

Seth laughs, his annoying nasal laughter that Roman realizes he's missed the sound of. "Take good care of the babymama, Dean... Hunter might just bump your salary for it."

 

Roman pretends to be disgruntled, but the combined voices of Seth and Dean filling the space of the apartment, keeping him company in his time of isolation, is something he knows he needs to cherish.

 

"Anyhow, I need to take the dogs for a walk and then catch a nap..." Seth stifles a yawn with his free hand. "Keep me updated, okay?"

 

"Bye, Seth..." Roman says, and Dean waves at the screen as Seth hangs up.

 

Dean leaves in the early evening, and Roman retreats back into the bedroom with a mug of steaming tea and Elise's nearly-depleted tin of ginger candies--he wonders if he can ask her for a refill the next time they see her.

 

He's already starting to feel sleepy -- tiring out much easier despite not really doing much of anything during the day, and he curls up on Hunter's side of the bed, clutching at bedsheets that have long since lost the older man's scent or any trace of his presence.

 

Roman doesn't know if it's hormones, the prolonged separation, or a combination of both, but the apartment feels glum and hollow with just him there. Having Dean around during the day is a welcome distraction, but once Dean leaves he's plunged back into that same, strong longing he first felt the night he discovered he was pregnant, aching for Hunter to come back.

 

"You miss him, Nugget? I sure do..." he says as he palms his stomach quietly, knowing that he's unlikely to get any kind of response at this stage.

 

Grabbing his phone, he thumbs open his messaging app and types in,

 

- _Daddy?_

\---

 

 

Hunter's given up on making sense of the spreadsheet that's open on his laptop and folds it shut, setting it on the small table in his hotel room in Stamford. He's changed into a comfortable pair of boxers and a t-shirt for the night, finishing up the checklist for tomorrow's board meeting before going to bed.

 

His phone beeps with a single message, and he smiles when he sees it.

 

Settling himself on the bed and stretching his legs out, he dials Roman's number and waits for the tone.

 

"Hello?"

 

"Hey..." Hunter says. "How you doing, baby? You okay?"

 

"I'm good..." Roman says. "When are you coming home?"

 

"Tomorrow night, if all goes smoothly..." Hunter says. "I've got a couple more meetings here, but I'll fly out as soon as I'm done."

 

"That's good..." Roman says.

 

"How's Nugget doing? Giving you much trouble?"

 

"Not too much, no..." Roman says. "We both miss you..."

 

Hunter closes his eyes, imagining Roman curled up on their bed with one hand on his stomach, a strong tug in his chest that's only grown stronger in the last few days.

 

"I miss you both, too..." he says. "But I'll be back soon."

 

There's a sound of shifting from the other end, Roman moving about in their bed trying to find a more comfortable position.

 

"You been sleeping okay?"

 

"Well enough..." Roman says. "But I've been sleeping alone, so that's a bummer..."

 

"Hmmm, bet I could do something to make you sleep a little better if I were there," Hunter says.

 

"Oh?" Roman sounds intrigued. "And what exactly would you do, Daddy?"

 

Hunter smiles, adjusting his boxers and starting to palm at his dick through it. "I'd get you all naked first--spread you out real nice, get a good look at you...might eat you out for a bit, get a taste for what I've been missing..."

 

He can hear Roman's soft gasp against the receiver, another shuffling of fabric being moved around.

 

"...or maybe I'll eat you out for a long, long time, baby boy...get that hole of yours nice and wet, just how I like it...make sure it's ready to take my dick,"

 

"Fuck, Daddy..." Roman hisses. "I want some of that now,"

 

"You'll be getting it soon," Hunter promises. "For now, touch yourself for me..."

 

He can hear Roman spitting on his own hand, can just imagine him reaching inside his underwear. Hunter's own dick has begun to harden in his hand, and he pulls it out of his boxers to grip himself at the base.

 

"Can you reach down there, baby? Can you find your own hole?"

 

"Y-yes..." Roman stutters. "But it won't...it won't feel the same--"

 

"Grab your toy--I left it in the bedside drawer," Hunter tells him.

 

There's a few moments of background noise as Roman fumbles with the drawer handle, reaching for the plug that Hunter knows is stored there, along with a big bottle of lubricant. They haven't used that toy for quite some time, but now seems as good a time as any.

 

"Once it's nice and lubed up, push it in..." Hunter says. "Slowly."

 

"Fuck..." Roman's breathing is already labored, and Hunter listens to it with closed eyes as he pictures Roman on his knees with his head in the pillows, holding his phone with one hand as the other reaches behind himself to push the thick, black plug into his hole.

 

"You got it in?"

 

"I....fuck, hold on..." Roman gasps. "Yeah, it's in..."

 

"All of it?"

 

"Mmm-hmm..."

 

"Is it good?"

 

"It's better than being empty," Roman says. "But it's not you."

 

Hunter chuckles as he strokes his own cock slowly. "What I wouldn't give to be there right now, stuffing you full of me, baby boy..."

 

"Come home, Daddy..." Roman pleads as his voice breaks, and Hunter can picture him moving that plug in out, thick thighs spread out and biting on his lower lip.

 

"Oh, I'm gonna be home soon," Hunter assures him. "And I'm gonna be all over you, my precious pregnant boy...gonna watch you get big and round, bouncing on my dick..."

 

"F-fuck..." Roman hisses. "Daddy..."

 

"You're gonna look so good, I just know it..." Hunter says as he starts jacking himself off faster. "Get my hands all over you, so much more of you to play with, and you're gonna let me have it, won't you?"

 

"Yes..." Roman says, his voice sounding exquisitely tortured. "Whatever Daddy wants..."

 

"Good boy," Hunter praises him. "You're such a good boy for me, Roman...letting Daddy have his way with you all these years, and now you've got Daddy's baby in you, and you're still aching for Daddy's dick..."

 

"Oh God," Roman grunts from the other end.

 

"You close, baby? You gonna come from Daddy's voice and that toy in your ass?"

 

"Y-yes, fuck...so close, so close Daddy..."

 

"Come for me, baby boy...lemme hear you lose it..."

 

There's a choked sound and the wet noise of Roman furiously jacking off from the other end, and even without visuals Hunter can clearly see it in his mind's eye, his baby boy with his ass stuffed with a plug and coming all over his hand, lying on their bed and soiling the sheets with his release. His own balls tighten up in response, and he knows he's not gonna be far behind.

 

"Take a picture," he commands. "Send it to me."

 

"O-okay," Roman manages to say croakily.

 

Hunter receives the image about ten seconds later, a slightly blurry photo of Roman's lower half, the plug still snug inside his ass, thighs spread and his dick resting against his own stomach, telltale splatters of come drying on his skin. It's enough to get Hunter over the edge, staring at it as he spills into his hand, heels dug into the mattress as his orgasm ripples through him.

 

Leaning back as his body slowly relaxes, he puts the phone back against his ear.

 

"You gonna sleep better tonight, baby?"

 

"Yeah..." Roman answers, his voice sounding drowsy and satisfied. "Thank you, Daddy..."

 

"I'll be home before you know it to give you the real thing..." Hunter says. "I love you,"

 

"Love you too,"

 

\---

 

 

"So...it's come down to this, hasn't it?" Hunter says as he reads through official notification letter in his hand.

 

"It's standard procedure, Hunter..." Stephanie reasons. "We do it with all the talent that's out injured, or otherwise incapable of performing."

 

"I know, I know..." Hunter says as he sets the paper down. "Just didn't expect it to happen so soon..."

 

They're having lunch at a private table at their favorite restaurant in Stamford, with Hunter barely managing to eat through his rather bland salad and Stephanie quietly asking the waiter for a refill of her white wine.

 

"He'll still be receiving royalties from merchandise sales, and he's still selling quite a lot of those, despite his absence," Stephanie says. "But he's off the programming--that's just the cold, hard facts. So we can't realistically pay him any TV and appearance fees, or any PPV bonuses, until--"

 

"--until an undetermined time," Hunter says, reading off the paper. "We're effectively freezing his contract."

 

"Look, I know it seems a bit harsh," Stephanie says. "The company will still cover his medical fees, including the operation and any further treatment he might require,"

 

"But past that? He's gonna be out for well after the baby arrives, Steph..." Hunter says, shaking his head. "We haven't even discussed how or when he's gonna come back..."

 

"Then don't," Steph says. "That's probably looking too far ahead for both of you. But there are things you _should_ be discussing with him, Hunter..."

 

Hunter regards his ex-wife across the table seriously. "I'm listening..."

 

"However you phrase it, you're gonna be family soon..." she starts. "You should be talking about how to manage your expenses, maybe get a joint household account, or even...I don't know, something of a legal partnership."

 

Hunter winces. "I tried starting that conversation with him when we came home from his parents' house. He nearly drove us off the road."

 

"Your timing is awful," she smiles at him. "Don't spring that kind of stuff on him, Hunter... it's a lot to take in. He's dealing with a whole lot already."

 

"Yeah, that was probably my mistake..." Hunter sighs. "Look, I hear what you're saying, okay? I get it. It makes sense, but I also don't want to make him feel like he's a dependent--my gut tells me it won't sit well with him."

 

"Think of it as the both of you taking responsibility for the future," she says. "For the time being, _you_ are the primary source of income. That's just how it is. And that baby's not gonna wait for you to settle your issues..."

 

"I know," Hunter says, setting his fork down with a clink, giving up on the meal altogether.

 

"As far as I know, Roman hasn't been careless with his money. He's probably got a good deal of it saved up, or invested, so it's not like he's coming into this penniless," Stephanie says.

 

"He's got a place down in Pensacola--never got it fully furnished, barely lives there. Maybe we could put it on the market," Hunter shrugs. "Or lease it,"

 

"That's a start..." Stephanie nods. "Then you can discuss about having a joint account for the baby's needs--healthcare, education, that kind of thing..."

 

Hunter allows himself a small chuckle as he leans back in his chair. "For a supposedly crazy McMahon, you're sounding extremely sensible right now..."

 

Stephanie smiles as she tips her wine glass at him. "Crazy brought in the ratings, honey. Sense keeps the business running."

 

"You tell that to your father lately?"

 

"You're still employed, aren't you?" she asks.

 

"Fair enough," Hunter says.

 

"Well, now that we're done with being sensible adults, I do have a proposition for you..." Stephanie says, pulling her tablet ouf from her handbag. "Something that's more suited to our particular talents--and could earn you a little extra money."

 

"Oh?" Hunter leans forward.

 

"Your next Wrestlemania appearance," Stephanie says. "The creative team's proposed something for you that we can start building right away."

 

Hunter quirks an eyebrow at her. "Really?"

 

"I took the liberty of asking them to come up with something, since you were--uh, occupied..." Stephanie says, thumbing slides open on her tablet. "I think you'll find this interesting--it's different, in any case. And relatively light work."

 

"Let's hear it, then..." Hunter says.

 

"Right, so we'll start at the Elimination Chamber, when Ronda's signing her contract--"

 

 

\---

 

 

 

_This is a dream._

_It has to be._

_He's walking into the bedroom, their bedroom, and there's laughter trailing behind him, echoing through the hallway._

_Children's laughter._

_Children._

_He looks around and doesn't see anyone, but he hears them clear as a bell, ringing in his ears, the giggle of toddlers, laughing like they're chasing each other._

_Where are they?_

_Roman, he hears that familiar voice call to him. Roman, come here._

_The door to the bedroom is flung wide open, and Hunter's waiting for him there. He's seated at the edge bed, smiling at him._

_There you are, he says, his arms outstretched. Let me hold him._

_He looks down, realizing for the first time that he's carrying something in his arms--a baby._

_His baby. It can only be his baby._

_The infant's face is obscured by the folds of white fabric bundling him, but he sees a mound of dark curls on top of a tiny head, feels the bundle move in his arms._

_Let me hold him, Hunter says again._

_The children are still laughing in his ears, phantom voices accompanied by the sound of tiny feet against floorboards._

_Hunter has the baby cradled in his arms now, looking up at him, smiling, looking so immensely proud and full of love._

_The children carry on laughing, playing and chasing each other, and he looks around trying to see them to no avail._

_Roman? Hunter calls to him. Roman?_

\---

 

 

"Roman?"

 

His eyes open as he's jostled awake, Hunter's face hovering above his own. "H-hunter?"

 

"I'm right here, baby...I just got home," Hunter says, stroking a lock of hair away from his face. "What's wrong?"

 

Roman blinks and reaches up, his fingers finding the coarse strands of Hunter's beard, before cupping his face in his hands. The older man's skin is tactile against his own, grounding him in reality, the dreamscape fading fast from his consciousness.

 

"Baby?" Hunter asks, looking increasingly concerned. "Are you okay?"

 

"Yeah, I'm fine..." Roman says. "I just...had a dream. It was weird,"

 

"What was it about?"

 

Roman doesn't immediately answer, instead he pulls Hunter down to lie next to him, filling up the space on the bed that's been empty for too long, pressing himself close against the older man's chest. He can hear Hunter's heartbeat against his ear, the warmth of his body seeping into him, arms coming around his shoulders to hold him.

 

"I saw you," Roman says quietly. "With the--with our baby,"

 

"Did you?" Hunter sounds amused.

 

"But there were these voices--like, all these other kids running around and playing, but I couldn't see them," Roman says. "They were all around us, like they were right there, laughing and playing with each other, but I couldn't see..."

 

Hunter strokes a hand up and down his back. "It's just a dream, Roman..."

 

"You asked to hold the baby," Roman says. "I gave him to you."

 

Hunter's hand pauses mid-movement, and he pulls back to look at. "Him?"

 

_Let me hold him._

Roman remembers now, the words spoken in the dream, and the realization rushes over him like a flood, making him shudder as he strokes a hand down Hunter's face.

 

_Let me hold him._

 

"We're having a boy, Hunter..." he says. "I saw him."

 

Hunter's expression shifts between longing and doubt, a half-smile twitching at the corners of his mouth. "Roman, it's..."

 

"I know it's just a dream," Roman cuts him off. "But I think that's what it was trying to tell me..."

 

Hunter moves one of his hands down, rucking up the hem of Roman's t-shirt so he can lay a palm flat against his stomach, rubbing slowly against it. "A boy..."

 

"Yes," Roman nods. "I just know it, Hunter."

 

Hunter smiles, draws him in to kiss his forehead. "If you're sure, then I believe you, baby...but we'll find out soon enough."

 

Roman flings one leg over Hunter's hip, letting the older man's presence wash over him, breathing in his scent, listening to the sound of his breathing.

 

"You're home..." he mutters into Hunter's chest.

 

"I am," Hunter says. "Not a dream."

 

Roman smiles as he twists his hand into the fabric of Hunter's shirt. "You know, I could swear someone told me he's gonna be all over me the second he gets back..."

 

There's a pleasant rumble from deep in Hunter's chest, a hand guiding Roman's own to start undoing buttons. "I haven't forgotten, you know...just thought you might need a bit more sleep."

 

"That's never stopped you before,"

 

"True," Hunter says as he shrugs the shirt off his shoulders, regarding Roman with a glimmer in his eyes. "My fault for trying to be all 'considerate', when I know I've got a hungry boy who's been without Daddy's dick for days waiting in my bed..."

 

Roman laughs, a pleasant coil of heat starting in his belly. "That's more like it..."

 

He's half-asleep and loose-limbed, still, shuffling off his own clothes and kicking them to the foot of the bed as Hunter kisses him all over, lavishing special attention upon his belly and nuzzling just below Roman's navel, tickling Roman's sensitive skin with his beard and making him giggle.

 

He knew Hunter was coming home so he made sure he showered before bed, an effort rewarded when Hunter pushes his legs apart and started to kiss along the insides of his thighs, inching closer towards his groin.

 

"Fuck, I've missed you..." Hunter remarks as he spreads Roman's thighs further, encouraging him to cant his hips up slightly. "Can't wait to be all up inside you again..."

 

"S'all yours," Roman says, helpfully holding up the undersides of his knees. "Have it..."

 

Hunter never fails to react whenever Roman's fully presenting himself like this--demanding his attention while still being utterly receptive and accommodating. He growls like a feral creature, probably spurred on by the days of being separated from Roman, muscles rippling as he grabs Roman by his hips and all but rams his tongue against Roman's hole, sending sparks shooting up Roman's spine.

 

Fingers are soon in play, opening Roman up for the inevitable, and Roman relishes the feel of those blunt, thick digits inside him, tongue swirling around his rim, another hand gripping the base of his dick. Roman's hands are fisted in the sheets as Hunter eats him out and fingers him, occasionally mouthing at his balls and the underside of his cock, teasing him.

 

"Daddy..." he pleads.

 

Hunter pokes his head up from between his legs, licking a stripe up Roman's dick, his beard shiny with spit and a mischievous glint in his eyes. "Yeah, baby? You want something?"

 

_Fucking dirty old tease._

"Want your dick..." Roman says, licking his lips for effect. "Please?"

 

Hunter grins, starting to crawl up Roman's body and slotting himself between Roman's spread legs, the easy fit that's now become second nature to them, the tip of his cock rubbing along Roman's entrance.

 

"I love it when you beg..." he says as he guides his length inside, kissing the tip of Roman's nose.

 

"You love it when I do just about anything," Roman says, clutching onto Hunter's shoulders. "You just love me,"

 

"Indeed I do," Hunter says, snapping his hips and making Roman whimper. "Now lie back and let Daddy work,"

 

Roman loses track of time soon after, a blur of kisses and touches as Hunter fucks him, nailing him hard enough to thump their bedrame against the wall but slow enough to let him enjoy every stroke, every thrust, every hit on his sweet spot from the head of Hunter's cock. Roman sinks his fingers into the fleshy parts of Hunter's shoulders and bares his neck to him, welcoming the not-so-gentle teeth and sucking that's sure to leave marks. He wants those marks--he's gone a bit too long without them.

 

In contrast to their session over the phone, Hunter seems less inclined to talk this time around, focusing his efforts on his physical rhythm, on kissing every part of Roman he can reach, the heat and weight of him so close it's almost suffocating.

 

And then, just when Roman can sense they're both on the verge of climax, Hunter abruptly pulls his dick out, silencing Roman's blurbed out protests with a finger on his lips as he shuffles onto his knees, straddling Roman's shoulders.

 

"Open up, baby..." Hunter says as he cradles the back of Roman's neck.

 

Roman's compliance is instinctive, his mouth opening just in time for the first thick spurt of Hunter's come to hit his tongue. What little of it doesn't go in his mouth is splattered over the rest of his face, and Hunter looks down on him with satisfaction as Roman sucks the tip of his dick until it's dry.

 

"Aren't you pretty like this..." he hums as he settles himself next to Roman again, kissing away at his face, messily licking his own release off.

 

Roman's more than a little fucked-out and tongue-tied, the salty residue of Hunter still heavy in his mouth, but he tugs at one of Hunter's hands impatiently, directing it to his neglected cock.

 

"Sshh, baby...I haven't forgotten," Hunter says as he starts stroking Roman, rubbing the calloused pads of his fingers against his length. "You're close, aren't you?"

 

Roman nods wordlessly, clinging to Hunter as that rough, familiar hand brings him to completion, burying his messy face into the crook of Hunter's shoulder as he comes, heart hammering in his chest.

 

Coming down from it, his world seems to resettle into itself, anchored by Hunter's presence, the steady rise and fall of his chest next to Roman's face, the comforting warmth and proximity of his body. He falls into dreamless sleep soon after, gently rocked by Hunter's motions, his arm securely wrapped around Hunter's waist.

 

 

\---

 

 

>  
> 
> _@WrestleVotes_
> 
> _\- Grapevine still awful quiet on Reigns, nothing new to report apart from 'management meetings' allegedly taking place to discuss his situation._
> 
>   
>    
>  _@FightfulWrestling_
> 
> _\- Men's Elimination Chamber participants announced: Balor, Cena, Rollins, Elias, Strowman, Miz. No mention of Reigns whatsoever._
> 
>   
>    
>  _@CageSideSeats_
> 
> _\- Rumor Roundup: Reigns remains AWOL, Rousey to sign her contract at Elimination Chamber, set for Wrestlemania Match against Stephanie?_

 

 

\---

 

 

"You guys ready?" the technician says as she positions the transducer over Roman's gel-slick abdomen.

 

Roman laces his fingers through Hunter's tightly and says, "Yes..."

 

"Okay, here we go..."

 

Roman tries his best to breathe slowly, anticipation bubbling in his chest. At their first ultrasound in Dr. Kirkland's office, their baby was a vaguely human-shaped blob with a tiny pulsating heart in the middle. He doesn't quite know what to expect this time, feeling Hunter stroke the back of his hand as blurry shapes start to fill the screen, the tehnician moving the transducer around for the best angle--

 

"Oh my God," Hunter exclaims, his grip on Roman's hand going slack.

 

_I must still be dreaming._

On the screen is the unmistakable shape of a baby in profile, spinal curve clearly showing, down to its tiny ridges, the lines of its facial features no longer merely a suggestion but clearly defined, the curve of a nose and mouth.

 

Roman is rendered speechless as the scan moves around some more, revealing the baby's arms and hands, all the way to its tiny fingers, and he gasps when he sees the shape move, kicking its tiny feet about, hands reaching as if to touch its own face.

 

"Baby, you seeing this?"

 

Roman can't quite form the words yet--he's taking in every detail, every movement of the shape he sees on screen, his brain still not quite processing that what he's witnessing now is taking place inside his own body, at that very moment.

 

Elise, who has accompanied them into the ultrasound room, leans in to check on the measurements that the technician made.

 

"Twelve weeks, four days..." she says, reading the calculations put on screen by the computer. "Congratulations, you've officially entered your second trimester,"

 

Roman's still struggling to speak, fingers gripping Hunter's tight. His eyes are glued to the screen, barely registering the words that everyone else is speaking.

 

"Let me get a heartbeat scan..." the tehcnician says, zeroing in on the pulsating mass inside the baby's chest.

 

The sound of rapid heartbeat soon fills the room, accompanied by a graph on the screen. Hunter shakes his head and laughs nervously, his palm going sweaty in Roman's grip, as the technician clicks away at her terminal to save the recording.

 

"Everything seems to be in order," Elise says calmly. "Development is consistent with a fetus at this stage, and the heartrate is normal..."

 

Roman releases the breath he's been holding, finally able to tear his eyes away from the screen to look at Hunter. "He looks so...real,"

 

"I know, baby..."

 

"He's got his arms and legs and everything--"

 

Elise takes a closer look at the screen again. "I'm afraid we still can't determine gender conclusively at this stage--"

 

"Roman believes it's a boy," Hunter tells her. "He's convinced."

 

"I just know it, okay?" Roman says a little defensively.

 

Elise merely smiles at him. "From my experience, usually those strong feelings are correct...but we'll know for sure at your next scan. For now I can tell you that your baby is healthy and developing as expected."

 

"Thanks, Doc..." Hunter says, shoulders sagging in relief.

 

"I'll get printouts ready--" the technician says. "But you can also have the audio and video of this session if you want,"

 

"Yes, please..." Roman says without hesitation.

 

"Look at him, he's moving around so much..." Hunter comments.

 

"I...I don't feel him moving yet," Roman says, looking at Elise. "Is that normal?"

 

"He's still very small at this point," Elise says, showing Roman her open palm and drawing a line across it. "About that big."

 

"God...still so tiny and already causing all that ruckus," Hunter points to the screen, where the scan is still showing their baby kicking and shifting around.

 

"He's your son," Roman chides him. "I'm not surprised."

 

 

\---

 

 

They end up spending the rest of the day watching the video on a loop on Hunter's laptop, nestled together on the couch, Roman using Hunter in exchange for the cushions he's been making do with while the older man was away.

 

"Our precious little Nugget..." Hunter says as he kisses Roman's hairline. "Baby Matthew."

 

"I like the sound of that..." Roman says.

 

"Let's leave the middle name to your father," Hunter suggests. "Something of your heritage."

 

"I'm sure he'll come up with something beautiful."

 

"I have a feeling, though..." Hunter says, "...that we'll still be calling him Nugget until he's old enough to hate us for it."

 

Roman laughs, the suggestion of him and Hunter as parents dealing with a rebellious teenage son so preposterous and yet so maddeningly, frighteningly real that the only possible response is laughter.

 

"One day at a time, you said..." he reminds Hunter, tapping an index finger at the tip of Hunter's nose. "Don't look too far ahead or our heads will explode, you said..."

 

Hunter chuckles. "I know, but damn...those days are flying by so fast..."

 

Roman stares back at the screen, at the snapshot of the life growing inside him, no longer a vague shape but a fully-formed little human, arms and legs and feet and fingers, pushing at the walls around him as the heart inside his chest beats rapidly.

 

"Yeah..." he agrees. "They are."

 


	6. Chapter 6

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Well, anyone who's been following my work knows that waiting for me to update is an exercise of extreme patience. I can't thank you all enough for still being on board with this crazy train wreck of a ship, in all its flawed and infrequent manifestations. As always, I feel the need to remind everyone that this AU is an exercise of wish-fulfillment at its most indulgent, so consume at your own risk. With much love and gratitude to my dearest P for all her enabling, keyboard-mashing, emoji-spamming, headcanon-feeding ways.

 

The sun is barely out as Roman takes his walk around the apartment complex, hands stuffed in the pockets of the oversize hoodie he's taken to wearing, his identity all but hidden underneath a beanie and pair of sunglasses. This has become his routine now, taking advantage of the deserted streets at the bleak hours of dawn, where there's hardly another soul around and he can stretch his legs, even if it's just doing a few laps around the block.

 

It was Elise who advised him to stay active, recommended some light exercises he can do at home, but Roman likes his long, solitary walks as much as anything--at the very least, it gets him out of the apartment.

 

Roman knew, even as he'd weighed his options back in January, that going for near-total isolation and radio silence wasn't going to be easy. Hunter had rightly expressed his concerns then, but Roman also knew that he needed this -- the space, the time, the complete removal of not just his physical presence but his mind from public scrutiny.

 

It's an overcast morning, the promise of rain hanging in the thick clouds overhead, and Roman hears the crunch of pavement under his sneakers as he walks, watching the palm trees gently swaying in the wind. He's noticed how he walks a little differently now, his body adjusting for the added weight of its second occupant, the morning sickness all but gone and replaced by the persistent twinge of lower back pain.

 

"I'll buy you one of those electric heating pads," Hunter mentioned on his way out the door before kissing him goodbye. "The one with the adjustable straps you can put around your body."

 

"Stylish," Roman said dryly.

 

Hunter's been gone for nearly a week now--he left to oversee the go-home RAW prior to Elimination Chamber, and won't be back until after the fallout show. He calls Roman every night, sometimes catching him just before he goes to bed, aware that Roman doesn't sleep so well in his absence.

 

Roman tries to make up for it with frequent mid-day naps, taken on the couch with the TV on, whatever mundane program he's put on providing the background white noise that sends him to sleep easier than the empty silence of night and the empty bedspace next to him.

 

He doesn't know if the pinballing between lethargy and insomnia is due to his isolation, or something related to the pregnancy itself, but it concerns him enough to raise the issue with Elise over the phone just a week ago.

 

"You're used to a pattern of physical mobility that exceeds most men your age," Elise explained--a succinctly neutral way of saying _you're used to taking hard bumps and spearing people through tables for weekly public entertainment_. "Right now, your body's adjusting to both the pregnancy and the sudden decrease in activity, so it might take a while for the levels to balance out, both physically and mentally."

 

"I'm not used to being--I don't know, 'aimless' isn't the right word..." Roman said. "My mind's usually focused on something short-term, like my next match or my next session at the gym, or getting to the next city without taking the wrong turn off the Interstate."

 

"It's an abrupt change of pace, for sure..." she said. "Everything will feel off-kilter for a while, and the adjustment period varies for everyone."

 

He doesn't really like bothering her for every little thing that pops up, which seems to happen with increasing frequency now that his body is going on this full-speed journey towards the unknown, with Roman feeling like he's in the passenger seat.

 

"Never hesitate to ask," she assures him each time. "There's no such thing as a stupid question,"

 

Truth be told, it's Roman's mother who has even more questions than he does, to the point that he's tempted to give her Elise's number and just have them hash it out, rather than playing the go-between and jumping chat windows every few hours.

 

As he walks, he makes a mental note to call his parents sometime today. He promised them that he'll be in touch more often, now that he's off the road and no longer juggling house shows and time zones.

 

Roman's mother cried on the phone to him for what seemed like ages when he sent her the ultrasound pictures. And if he cried a little too, he's just gonna blame the damn hormones, okay?

 

The city is slowly waking up around him, a lone garbage truck trundling past and the street lights switching off as the sky brightens. Roman takes a long drink out of the water bottle he's got stashed in one of his pockets, and makes a shortcut down a footpath that will lead him back towards the front courtyard of the apartment complex.

 

The rain starts falling just as Roman ascends the steps to his unit -- he prefers it to the elevator, it's a good workout for his legs and he wants to get as much of that in while he still can. He's worked up a genuine sweat by the time he reaches their floor, breathing a little heavy as he swipes his keycard.

 

_Must be the extra baggage_ , he thinks to himself as he fondly pats his stomach.

 

It's still odd to think that this is his life now, at least for the foreseeable future, filling the gaps between Elise's appointments with Netflix binges and trying to eat healthy and doing odd bits around the apartment to keep himself sane.

 

Two days after Hunter left, he found himself organizing their closet space, the first time he's done that since unofficially moving in, finding odd bits of clothing that he first brought here over a year ago and never took back. He shakes his head at Hunter's ridiculous array of ties and dress shirts -- if it weren't for all the mind-blowing and often kinky sex, Roman could've sworn that he'd shacked up with a square.

 

There's also the matter of the spare room that's currently occupied by Hunter's gym equipment. They've had a passing conversation about turning it into a nursery, which Roman regrets ever mentioning to Seth, because since then Seth's been sending him links to Pinterest boards full of fanciful nurseries with custom murals and bespoke furniture -- stuff that makes Roman hyperventilate.

 

"Sorry to burst your bubble..." he told Seth over the phone. "But the baby's gonna be sharing a room with us at least for the first six months."

 

"That's...deeply unromantic," Seth said. "How are you two gonna fuck when baby's in the room?"

 

"...I'm hanging up."

 

He didn't, though, because he missed the sound of Seth's annoying voice too much. Not that Roman told him that, or he'd never hear the end of it.

 

 

 

\---

 

 

_@PWInsider:_

_No last-minute swerve at Elimination Chamber: Balor wins clean, rematch set for Universal Championship against Brock Lesnar at 'Mania 34_

_@WrestlingSheet:_

_With no Roman Reigns in sight, Finn Balor wins Elimination Chamber on the way to a Wrestlemania 34 date against Brock Lesnar_

_@CageSideSeats:_

_Elimination Chamber recap: Balor wins Chamber match, Bliss retains, Rousey puts Triple H through table, sets up possible WM34 tag match with Angle and Stephanie?_

 

 

 

\---

 

 

"You know something, don't you?"

 

 

Seth grits his teeth, thumping his head against the locker and praying to any heavenly entity worth a damn to grant him some measure of patience.

 

"You're like, the hundredth person to ask me this question," he says as he slowly turns around. "What makes you think you'll get a different answer?"

 

Finn Balor has a look in his eyes that doesn't suit a man who's just punched his ticket to the Main Event at Wrestlemania. Seth supposes it has something to do with what he knows is waiting for him there, and he can't say he really blames him.

 

"I'm taking his place, Seth..." Finn says slowly. "I know I am. I just...I want to know why."

 

"Why's it matter?" Seth says irritably. "You're getting your rematch. The one you've been wanting since--" he swallows around _I put you on the shelf_ and says "--since you came back".

 

"I'm getting set up for slaughter," Finn says, the steeliness in his eyes unwavering. "I know that for sure. They're not going to put that title on me."

 

"You really think they were going to put it on Roman?" Seth shakes his head slowly. "I remember thinking that too...that morning in Santa Clara, before 'Mania 31. And look what happened,"

 

There's the barest hint of a scowl at the corner of Finn's lips. "Didn't work out too badly for you, did it?"

 

Seth can feel something rising in his chest, but fights to quell it as he unclenches his fists at his sides.

 

"Finn...I can't tell you what happened to Roman, or where he is, or when he's coming back," he says firmly. "Stomp my chest to bits, set the Demon on me, whatever...I'm not telling you."

 

"Because you signed a piece of paper?"

 

"Because I made a promise," Seth corrects him. "Finn...please. Let this go. I can't tell you anything, I'm sorry."

 

Finn's expression softens slightly, but he doesn't back away. "I've done this before, Seth... take the place of someone who's been injured, or showed up too drunk to perform, or didn't show up at all--" he shakes his head slowly. "--but not like this. Never like this. Never without knowing what happened to the other guy, and definitely not on a stage this big."

 

"First time for everything, then..." Seth makes a weak attempt at a joke, though he knows neither will be laughing.

 

"It's just...mind-boggling, is all," Finn says. "People like Roman Reigns don't just vanish into thin air like this,"

 

Seth feels his lips setting into a grim little smile and says, "Well, then...you've clearly underestimated him."

 

 

\----

 

There's a picture that Roman has saved on his phone, one that his father sent him earlier in the week. Lord knows how he managed to get a hold of a working scanner in the clutter that was their family home, but found it he did, and he sent Roman a small, blurry, black-and-white picture of a man who appears to be in his early forties, sitting next to a teenage girl, both sharing the same smile.

 

Sika told him that it's the only photo he could find of the man who was supposedly the only other known male carrier in their bloodline, pictured there with the daughter he gave birth to. Judging by the age of the photo and the clothing they wore, it seems to have been taken sometime in the sixties, and Sika believes the man died sometime in the early eighties, before Roman was born.

 

"I never met him," his father explained over the phone. "He stayed on the island all his life. His name was Sefa."

 

"And his daughter?"

 

"I don't know," his father said, and after a long pause, "Do you want me to ask? Find out?"

 

"No," Roman said. "It's fine."

 

The thing with large, intertwined family trees was all the little details that ended up slipping through the cracks. Roman wasn't sure if he'd like what he would find if he decided to go digging. There's barely any information available on Sefa, which could be due to the man himself preferring to keep a low profile, or the family choosing not to talk about him. Was it to protect him? To protect the girl? To protect the family?

 

There's no mention of the other father, whoever it might have been, and the picture only shows Sefa and his daughter. Roman wonders what it was like for him, all those decades ago. The picture can't tell him much, but at least--he consoles himself with thinking--they look like they were happy.

 

He can see the family resemblance even through the age and low resolution of the photograph -- the strong jawline and forehead, features shared by his own father and uncle Afa. Anoa'i genes are strong, that's what they like to say at every family gathering, and Roman sees proof of that in every face and every smile.

 

He wonders if the same will apply to his precious Nugget, if he will look into his child's face one day and see his brother's smile, the one he misses so dearly.

 

_I wish you were still here_.

 

 

\---

 

 

"I'm coming home Wednesday," Hunter says on the phone. "Morning after Smackdown,"

 

"Okay,"

 

"How have you been?"

 

"The same, I guess? Not getting sick anymore, which is great, been eating more...but still not sleeping too well..."

 

"I'm sure that'll improve as soon as I'm home,"

 

Roman smiles as he swivels around in Hunter's big office chair, behind the desk of his little home office setup.

 

"I didn't watch the Chamber," he says truthfully. "Did everything go as planned?"

 

"Yep, up to and including the table spot," Hunter says. "That woman sure knows how to throw dudes around..."

 

"You're okay though, right?"

 

"I'm fine," Hunter assures him. "Not the worst bump I've taken by a long shot,"

 

"So..." Roman says as he strokes his stomach idly. "Finn's getting his rematch,"

 

"Long overdue," Hunter says. "Of course, there were still rumors swirling about up until the pre-show that you were gonna be a surprise last-minute addition..."

 

Roman snorts. "And here I thought they'd be glad not to have me around for a bit,"

 

"They needed the content," Hunter says. "Any mention of you still generates quite a bit of traffic--according to Jane,"

 

"Hmmm..."

 

"Anyway, I need to head into a production meeting right now -- I'll see you Wednesday morning, okay?"

 

"Okay," Roman says. "Love you,"

 

"Love you too, baby...and Nugget."

 

 

\----

 

 

Jimmy and Jey set up a group text with him, just to keep in touch, and before long Roman finds himself asking them about the more practical aspects of parenting. He kinda wishes he hadn't, though.

 

_See Uce, the thing w babies is that for such tiny humans they have a LOT of stuff,_ Jimmy says.

 

_A LOT OF STUFF_ , Jey agrees. _Expect 2 b trippin over bottles and diapers n shit._

_Metaphorical n literal shit_ , Jimmy adds.

 

_Shit,_ Roman replies, because what else could he say.

 

They don't talk much about work -- not unless Roman prompts them to. Maybe they don't want him to feel like he's being left out, or to feel bad for them having to fend off questions from people who think they might know what's really going on with Roman.

 

_We just say we're not at liberty to discuss and we leave it at that,_ Jimmy says.

 

_Hmm. That should be on our next merch,_ Jey types in. _We ain't talkin, stop askin._

 

Roman didn't even have the opportunity to type out an apology before Jimmy adds:

 

_Don't worry bout it, Uce. We got your back. They ain't getting nothin from us._

_Thanks,_ is all Roman can type in return.

 

 

\----

 

 

He has that same dream again, of walking through a warm, sunlit hallway with his baby in his arms, walking towards Hunter's voice, all the while the laughter of children echo around him.

 

Each time, he tries to peer into the folds of the swaddling to see his baby's face, but it never materializes.

 

Each time, Hunter smiles and beckons him over, arms outstretched to receive their son.

 

_Give him to me,_ he says.

 

Each time, Roman wakes to a dark, dim bedroom and mussed-up sheets, the space next to him disappointingly empty.

 

_Come home_ , he thinks into the still air of the night. _Come home._

\---

 

 

On Wednesday morning, it's Roman's bladder that gets him out of bed before dawn, yawning as he relieves himself into the toilet bowl. Elise tells him to expect the frequency to increase even more as the months progress, and that he should pack in enough fluids.

 

He's not feeling up for a walk today -- the weather is pretty bleak outside, and Hunter will be home in a few hours.

 

Maybe he'll give himself a nice warm bath, get his muscles to relax a little bit with a soak, and see if that gets him a few more hours of precious sleep.

 

Undressing himself in front of the bathroom mirror, Roman squints in the harsh light and tries to study his own features. He doesn't look all that different, no tell-tale bulging at the cheeks or neck, nothing to suggest the extra weight he's definitely starting to feel. All in all, it's just his same old face, with the notch at the bridge of his nose and his uneven brows and the fading line of old stitches.

 

With a heavy sigh, he grabs at the hem of the loose t-shirt he wore to bed and pulls it up over his shoulders, tossing it to one side as he--

 

_Oh._

\---

 

 

"Roman? I'm home..."

 

A shiver passes through Roman's body, a combined effect of excitement and the whisper of air against his bare skin.

 

He's standing in front of the full-length mirror at the corner of the bedroom, listening to the shuffling happening outside as Hunter wheels in his suitcases into the apartment.

 

"I'm here..." he calls out, heart starting to race as the muffled footsteps approach.

 

The door of the bedroom swings open, and Hunter steps through, eyes scanning the room until he finds Roman -- and stops dead in his tracks.

 

"Hey there..." Roman says softly. "Someone wants to say hello to you,"

 

It takes a lot to render Hunter speechless, but then again Roman is presenting quite a sight for him. He's completely naked, nothing adorning his body save for the leather band encircling his left ankle, hair done up in a bun at the back of his head, both of his hands caressing his belly.

 

A belly that's now sporting an unmistakable swell, rounded and taut, Roman's fingers skimming over the gentle curve.

 

"Oh..." Hunter says, eyes staring unblinkingly, still rooted to the spot.

 

"You just gonna stand there? Or are you gonna come say hi?" Roman says playfully.

 

Hunter nearly stumbles over himself walking over to him, sinking to his knees in front of Roman. He stares at the swell of Roman's belly, hands reaching up to touch it, feeling the warm skin under his hand.

 

"Hey there, Nugget..." he whispers in a hushed voice. "'Bout time you decided to show up..."

 

"Just in time for you to be home," Roman says, his voice close to breaking.

 

Roman's always been a little thick around the middle, making it hard to discern any noticeable bump in the earlier weeks, but there's no mistaking it now -- his skin is stretched taut over his belly, and Hunter leans forward to kiss him just below the pucker of his navel.

 

"What a sight to come home to," he says, looking up at Roman.

 

"Makes being put through a table worth it, doesn't it?"

 

"I'll let her put me through a dozen tables if this is my reward..." Hunter says as he rises to his feet, cupping Roman's face in his hands. "You're so goddamn beautiful..."

 

Roman snorts, even as the words make something inside his chest clench almost painfully "Say that to me again in a couple months when I'm bloated as fuck and can barely move..."

 

"Oh, I'm sure I will," Hunter says, maneuvering Roman to stand in front of the mirror as Hunter stands behind him, skimming his hands up Roman's sides. He pauses his hands just under Roman's pectorals, and Roman draws in a sharp breath.

 

"You've started swelling up here, too..." he remarks.

 

"Elise told me to expect it..." Roman leans back against his chest as Hunter fondles him gently, thumbs rubbing against his nipples. "Guess all your dreams are coming true, huh?"

 

Hunter smiles as he kisses the base of Roman's neck. "Beautiful," he repeats, starting to tug Roman backwards towards their bed.

 

"I've missed you," Roman says, not caring about stating the obvious.

 

"Oh, baby you have no idea..." Hunter says as he takes Roman's face in his hands, dotting it with kisses. "I thought I was gonna lose my mind, being away for so long..."

 

Roman takes in the sight of Hunter, his handsome face lined with fatigue but brown eyes alight with joy, his familiar warmth and smell dispelling any lingering air of desolation in the bedroom, as if every corner is now lit and warmed by his presence.

 

"Need you," he croaks against the corner of Hunter's mouth, tugging at his bottom lip with his teeth.

 

"I've got you," Hunter says, pulling Roman down with him onto their bed. "I'll give you what you need,"

 

They spend the next few minutes trading wet, messy kisses as Roman helps Hunter out of his clothes, Hunter's hands never able to stray too far from Roman's belly, as if assuring himself with each caress that it's real. Hunter's hands are warm and rough, skin dry from air travel, and Roman feels the tense muscles in the older man's under his fingers, massaging the knots as Hunter works spit-wet fingers into Roman's hole.

 

Four years and a lifetime ago, he couldn't have imagined this--the depth of this feeling, the almost-frightening sense of need coiling from the both of them. It almost feels like they were different people then, except they're _not_ , never more themselves than they are now, in this moment, desperately pawing at each other on an unmade bed, the life they somehow made together cradled snugly between their bodies.

 

Roman pushes Hunter to lie flat on his back and straddles his hips, reaching behind to position himself over the older man's dick, biting his lip as he sinks down. The prep was minimal but Roman can't wait any longer -- he can deal with a bit of a stretch and burn after those long, restless nights of being empty.

 

When he looks down, Hunter's face still hasn't lost that look of wide-eyed wonder he had when he walked in the door, smiling at Roman as he reaches down to palm the swell of his belly.

 

"Admiring the view?" he asks as he starts to grind down, loving how the added weight makes him sit heavier on Hunter's body.

 

"I'm the luckiest bastard alive..." Hunter says, fingers digging into Roman's thighs as his hips start to get with the program, moving Roman on top of him. "Do you have any idea how you look right now?"

 

"Soon I'll be a lot heavier..." Roman says with a soft gasp. "Too heavy to do this. Won't move so good anymore."

 

"Then I'll do the moving for you," Hunter assures him. "We'll make it work,"

 

Roman leans forward, his belly resting warm and heavy against Hunter's own, pressing his hands into Hunter's chest. "You always find a way..."

 

They fuck at a slow and languid pace, most of Hunter's attention taken up by the way the swell of Roman's bump moves as they do it, running his palms all over it, marveling at the way the skin is pulled taut over its rounded shape, unable to stop himself from smiling the whole time.

 

Roman can still just about lower himself to Hunter to kiss him when he's signaling that he's ready for Hunter to take over, to pick up the speed a little and bring them over the finish line. Hunter curls one hand at the back of Roman's neck to steady him as the other hand grips Roman's hip, though it inevitably travels to his stomach to feel that bump some more.

 

"I can see that I no longer have your undivided attention," Roman says with a small laugh. "I don't blame you, though."

 

"Sorry, baby..." Hunter says sheepishly, looking up at Roman's smiling face. "You gotta admit, it's quite a distraction..."

 

"Hmmm...let's see how you do when you need to start sharing me with him," Roman says, undulating his hips playfully. "You're not good with sharing."

 

"I can learn," Hunter says, pulling Roman down for another kiss. "We all can."

 

When Hunter takes over, all Roman has to do is lie his head in the crook of Hunter's neck and hold on, his ass being bounced on top of Hunter by his sharp, shallow thrusts. He inhales the scent at Hunter's neck, filling his nostrils with it, fingers bedded in the short hairs of the older man's chest, overwhelming all his senses with nothing but _Hunter_.

 

Hunter lands a strong smack on Roman's rump as he comes, holding Roman still on top of him, his breathing loud and labored next to Roman's ear. Roman clenches around him, burying his nose deep into Hunter's neck, all their limbs tangled together.

 

He almost protests when Hunter tries to roll them over, but then Hunter has a hand on Roman's dick and well--not gonna say no to that. He puts Roman on his back, lying next to him with one hand slowly working Roman's dick, his eyes raking up and down Roman's body.

 

Roman drags him down by his beard to kiss him, his hips pumping steadily into Hunter's fist until he comes, spilling into the older man's hand. When Hunter offers his come-stained fingers to him, Roman licks him clean, sucking each of his knuckles dry.

 

"I swear, every time I have to walk out that door..." Hunter whispers as they lie in each other's arms. "...it gets harder and harder."

 

"Then don't," Roman says. "Don't leave again,"

 

He flings one leg over Hunter's to emphasize his point, making the older man chuckle. "Oh baby, you know there's nothing I want more than to stay here with you...with both of you."

 

"I had that dream again," Roman says.

 

"Same one?"

 

"Always the same one," he says. "But I can never see his face--Matthew's face."

 

Hunter exhales deeply, his hand running up and down Roman's sweaty back. "We'll see him soon enough,"

 

Roman wraps an arm around Hunter's middle, where he can feel the steady rise and fall of every breath. "You said you'd help me sleep better..."

 

"I did, didn't I?" Hunter says as he kisses Roman's forehead.

 

"Can we start now? I know you just got home and haven't unpacked and all--"

 

"Fuck the unpacking," Hunter says as he pulls Roman a little closer, his other hand drawing up the blankets. "Yeah, we can start now."

 

"Thanks..." Roman says as he lets his eyes drift shut, feeling more at peace than he's been for days.

 

 

\----

 

 

They don't wake up again until well past noon, when Hunter's phone rings from wherever he's left it in the living room, and he reluctantly leaves the bed to go retrieve it. Roman searches the floor near the bed to find the shirt Hunter previously wore and slips it around his shoulders, leaving it unbuttoned as he steps out of the bedroom.

 

Hunter's seated at his home office, backlit by the sun that's finally decided to put in a decent showing for the day, bare-chested with a pair of loose boxers on, taking a call from what sounds like a producer or trainer down in NXT.

 

It's a familiar sight to him now, Hunter at work greasing the cogs of the intricate machinery that makes up their company, laying the groundwork for the future as he juggles the demands of the present. He seems so at ease doing it, switching between roles seamlessly as he keeps track of a million things a minute.

 

Roman can't help but recall the image from his dreams, of Hunter in that room flooded with sunlight, arms outstretched to receive the baby Roman's carrying.

 

Parents.

 

Now that's somethig he never thought he'd see themselves as.

 

"Hey..." Hunter's voice intrudes on his thoughts. "Sorry, I had to take that call."

 

"It's okay..." Roman says as he walks towards Hunter. "Was it anything urgent?"

 

"No, just someone in procurement needing my signature for some logistics down at the PC..." Hunter says as he sets his phone down on his desk. "Come here..."

 

Roman eases himself onto Hunter's lap, an arm looping around the older man's neck. Hunter takes all of his weight, one hand going to Roman's stomach to run over the swell.

 

"Has he...started moving yet?"

 

"Not that I can feel," Roman says. "Elise says he could be doing cartwheels in there for all we know, but I won't start feeling any of it until he's a bit bigger..."

 

"I kept looking at the video, you know...from the scan," Hunter says. "His little hands and feet, even his fingers..."

 

Roman smiles as he strokes a hand down Hunter's chest. "As far as I can tell, he doesn't have your nose, so you got that wish."

 

Hunter laughs. "Like I said, I'd much prefer if he looks like you...a real knockout."

 

"Going the flattery route again, I see..."

 

"Never failed me in the past,"

 

"True," Roman concedes, bumping their foreheads together.

 

They share a late lunch, followed by Roman doing his best to help Hunter unpack his luggage, dumping most of the used clothes into the laundry basket.

 

True to his word, Hunter did get Roman a heating pad for his lower back, ignoring Roman's scowl as he wraps the decidedly-unflattering velcro straps around Roman's expanded middle and secures it.

 

"It's very...I don't know, late night infomercial, isn't it?" Roman says.

 

"Shush, I went through ten pages of Amazon reviews before deciding on this one," Hunter says.

 

"What a mammoth undertaking," Roman says sarcastically.

 

But then he flips on the button, and the heat starts circulating across his back, and dear Lord it does feel good.

 

"See?" Hunter smiles triumphantly at Roman's expression.

 

"Fine, fine..." Roman relents. "You win this one."

 

"Haven't you learned by now, baby?" Hunter throws a casual smirk at him. "I always win..."

 

 

\---

 

_\- Ro, maybe you need to send Finn a text or something_

_\- Don't have to tell him everything_

_\- Just let him know you're okay_

_\- He still asking you about me?_

_\- Seems to really bother him, taking someone's place and not knowing why._

_\- The others stopped asking weeks ago_

_\- I'll think about it, Seth_

_\- Thx_

_\- U take care, big dog_

\---

 

 

"They're gonna need me at RAW next week," Hunter says as he sits across the dinner table from Roman, voice a little held back as if communicating a particularly delicate bit of news.

 

Roman twirls his fork around a little, avoiding Hunter's gaze. "Yeah, I thought that might happen..."

 

"I'm sorry,"

 

"Don't be," Roman shakes his head. "It's the job, right? Show has to go on and all that. Especially this being 'Mania season, and you always crop up on TV this time of year..."

 

Hunter just gives him a look, thoughtful and searching, like he heard the words but doesn't believe that Roman meant them.

 

"I don't like it any more than you do," he says. "I'll try to keep it short, fly back as soon as we finish airing,"

 

Roman sets his fork down on his half-eaten plate, leaning back into his chair. "How...how long will you be gone for Wrestlemania?"

 

"I'm...not sure yet."

 

"Rough estimate, come on..."

 

Hunter sighs heavily as he fiddles with a napkin. "There's a lot of press happening in the buildup -- a lot of PR stuff, plus setting up Takeover and Hall of Fame...could be a good week and a half,"

 

Roman shuts his eyes briefly, trying to dispel the cold dread setting in his gut at the thought of such a prolonged absence.

 

"Baby, you wanna talk about it?" Hunter prompts him gently.

 

"I...I guess you were right," Roman mutters under his breath. "This is all...getting a bit much for me," he says as he gestures around the apartment.

 

Hunter says nothing, waiting for him to continue.

 

"Going off the grid isn't the problem," Roman says. "That part's fine -- I mean, I miss the guys and all that, but not being in the middle of the circus is...well, I kinda needed that anyway,"

 

Hunter just nods quietly.

 

"It's....it's tougher when you're not around," Roman says. "I know, that sounds pathetic, but I've got all this space around me, see...and I walk around it and sleep in it and eat in it and...it only ever feels like half of what it should be."

 

"If it makes you feel any better, it's not like I've been the picture of focus and professionalism the past week..." Hunter says. "I almost blanked during my segment."

 

Roman gives him a thin-lipped smile. "Well, I've got hormones to blame...what's your excuse?"

 

"You," Hunter says succinctly. "Both of you."

 

Roman's chest lurches as he reaches across the table, finds Hunter's fingers and intertwines his into them. "I have something I wanna ask..."

 

"Sure,"

 

"Is there any possibility that I can go there with you? To New Orleans?" Roman asks. "I know it's a lot of hassle--and probably more trouble than it's worth, but...if we can somehow make it work..."

 

Hunter seems to mull over his request for a good long while, the wheels turning behind his eyes as he undoubtedly processes the logistics.

 

"I know it's a big risk. I'll be a lot bigger by then, not so easy to stay hidden," Roman says, as if he was any easier to hide in his normal physical state.

 

"Security will be the biggest concern," Hunter says. "But then again, we managed to keep the Hardys a surprise last year, and that's with people actively sniffing around for any whiff of their presence."

 

Roman looks up at him. "You're seriously considering this,"

 

"Of course I am," Hunter says. "It's not gonna be easy, but we can work out some kind of arrangement..."

 

"Thanks," Roman says.

 

"Baby," Hunter says as he rubs his thumb across the back of Roman's hand. "It's not just about staying close to me, is it?"

 

Roman closes his eyes again. "No," he says. "I need...I think it's time that I talk to some people there."

 

Hunter doesn't look at all surprised, but then again he's always been better at anticipating Roman's thoughts than Roman himself is.

 

"I've left a lot of people really worrying about me..." Roman says. "I'm not, like, planning to hold a big group session or anything, but there's a few that I really wanna talk to."

 

"I think we can manage that," Hunter says. "Maybe put you up somewhere quiet, like one of the buses, and have people come to you so you don't have to wander around backstage..."

 

"Sounds like a plan," Roman nods. "I still wanna keep things as quiet as possible--most of them don't even need to know that I'm there, and I definitely wanna keep it out of the dirt sheets..."

 

"Tell you what, might be a good idea for you to give me a priority list of people you wanna talk to," Hunter says. "Nicola can print out the NDAs in advance, then maybe I can tell them a day prior so it won't be too huge of a shock--"

 

"Okay,"

 

"But keep the list small," Hunter says. "Don't feel like you owe everybody an explanation. Just narrow it down to the ones who matter most to you."

 

Roman nods, squeezing Hunter's fingers tightly. "Thank you..."

 

Hunter smiles, then turns his gaze to where Roman's other hand is laid over his stomach. "You hear that, Nugget? You're going to Wrestlemania."

 

 

\---

 

 

_Finn, congrats on the Chamber win. Sorry I didn't get in touch sooner. I know you have a lot of questions. Can't tell you everything here, but I will someday soon, I promise. Just want you to know, I'm okay and I'll be rooting for you, regardless of how the booking goes._

\---

 

 

The next morning, Roman hands Hunter a piece of paper on which he's written down a few names.

 

"That was quick..." Hunter says as he studies the list.

 

Roman shrugs. "Didn't have to think too hard on it,"

 

  1. _Finn Balor_



"Didn't know you two were that close," Hunter says.

 

"We're not," Roman concedes. "But...if there's anyone I feel I owe an explanation to, it's him. I don't want him going into his match thinking it's all an elaborate work to put me over at a later date,"

 

"That's what the internet thinks," Hunter says. "You believe Finn thinks the same?"

 

"I want him to know the truth," Roman says.

 

  1. _Sami Zayn_



"Obviously," Hunter smiles.

 

"Yeah," Roman smiles back. "I miss Sami,"

 

  1. _Mike Mizanin_



That raises Hunter's eyebrows a little.

 

"He's been getting some flak on the internet for allegedly injuring me in that last match," Roman explains. "Conversely, I've heard some assholes are actually thanking him for injuring me...anyway, he can't be feeling too good about either."

 

"Telling him won't change any of that, though."

 

"No, but I hope at least it'll help him sleep better at night," Roman reasons.

 

"Oh, I sincerely doubt he'll be getting much sleep..." Hunter says with a little smile. "Maryse is due to give birth in late March,"

 

"Oh," Roman says. "Fuck, I genuinely forgot about that."

 

"Maybe he'll have some stories to share with you," Hunter says, folding the piece of paper neatly. "Is that it?"

 

"For now," Roman nods. "I mean, of course I miss all the other guys and girls too, but as far as needing to know what's happened to me..." he exhales deeply. "...they can wait."

 

It feels weird to say that, to distill the years of backstage relationships and camaraderie, of sharing locker rooms and buses and taking each other's moves and finishers, and boil it down to a list that seems so arbitrary at first glance.

 

Hunter must have seen the shift in his expression and says, "They _can_ wait...this is your decision. What's best for you at this time. Don't feel bad about it,"

 

"I know," Roman says.

 

They leave unspoken the matter of just how long that wait will be -- for the rest of the roster, and inevitably, the rest of the world. It's not something Roman wants to think about, not yet, an as-yet unwritten chapter of a not-so distant future.

 

_It can wait._

 

\---

 

"Let me just move the scan around a little, see if we can get a clearer picture..."

 

Roman holds his breath, watching the image shift on the screen as the scanner moves across his belly, the only sound he can hear in the room being his own breathing and the steady beeping of the ultrasound machine.

 

It never ceases to amaze him, the human form taking shape inside his own body, the rapidly beating heart at the center, and the complex mechanism of joints and fingers already so well-defined, even through the black-and-white blur of the ultrasound.

 

"Nugget's growing so fast..." Hunter says as he sits close to Roman, his tone one of hushed awe. "So much bigger than last time..."

 

The technician zooms in on several features, taking screenshots as she goes, before turning to look at Roman.

 

"So...do you guys wanna know if it's a boy or girl?"

 

"We already know," Roman tells her. "Just need to have it confirmed."

 

She smiles and moves the scanner a little, the image on screen shifting from a profile view to an angle that Roman's untrained eye can't really discern.

 

"There...that's the genitalia," the technician says. "You're having a boy."

 

Roman nods calmly, turns to Hunter and says, "I told you..."

 

"So you did," Hunter smiles, leaning in to kiss Roman's forehead. "You certainly did."

 

 

\---

 

 

That night, Hunter puts Roman on his side and fucks him from behind, one of Roman's legs flung back over his hips while his hand never leaves Roman's belly.

 

"You feel bigger every day..." he whispers hotly against Roman's ear. "Every time I touch you...there's more of you."

 

Roman presses himself back against Hunter's groin and gasps softly with each thrust, his arm looped back around Hunter's neck. "All thanks to you," he mutters.

 

"My precious boy," Hunter grunts. "Fucked him so full of Daddy's come he's now got my baby inside him..."

 

Roman giggles hazily, every thrust rocking against that sweet spot inside him that sets his nerve endings on fire.

 

"Daddy got his wish..." he rasps out. "Always...always said he'd knock me up one day."

 

"Mmm...took me about four years but I'm a persistent bastard, baby..." Hunter says as he palms Roman's stomach greedily, pulling him back onto his dick. "...and you're worth all that effort."

 

It doesn't take much for Roman to come these days, a few strokes from Hunter's hand will do, even if he has to reach a bit further now to find Roman's dick, finding it under the swell of his belly. Roman digs his fingers into the back of Hunter's neck when it hits him, his body spasming around Hunter and his dick shooting in Hunter's grip, the force of it leaving his ears ringing.

 

Hunter follows not long after, his thrusts becoming increasingly erratic and forceful until he finally seizes up, his breathing reduced to loud, uneven grunts gusting hot air against Roman's ear.

 

Roman's eyes are misty with sweat as he pulls up Hunter's hand, licking each finger clean and kissing each knuckle reverently.

 

"I love you..." he hears through the haze. "So goddamn much..."

 

"Love you too, Daddy..."

 

 

 

\---

 

 

His parents have him on speakerphone when he tells them the news. He can hear his mother starting to cry softly, and his father's hearty, joyous laughter. Roman can't remember the last time he heard Sika sound so happy, but he knows he hasn't heard that laugh since before his brother passed away.

 

His voice trembles slightly as he says into his phone, "We want to call him Matthew,"

 

There's a momentary pause in which he can imagine his mother trying to hold back her tears, and a loud exhalation of breath that can only be Sika's.

 

"No other name will be fitting," his father says. "You have our blessing, son."

 

"Thank you, Dad..."

 

"You'd have his too, I'm sure..." Sika adds, his voice breaking slightly.

 

They talk about some other stuff, his general health, his latest checkup, Roman repeatedly assuring his mother that he's eating and sleeping well, glossing over some of his aches and pains and telling her not to worry too much, as futile as that exercise may be.

 

Hunter watches from where he's seated at his desk, smiling encouragingly at Roman, the sunlight coming through the large window reflected in his eyes, picking out golden highlights in the grey-speckled strands of his beard.

 

A few hours later, Roman receives a single line of text message from his father.

 

_Matthew Aleki Anoa'i._

 

 

 

 

 

 

 


End file.
